He quickly pieced together a sandwich from the leftovers of the beef roast that his mom had cooked yesterday. He walked through the house chomping greedily. He was particularly hungry since he hadn’t bothered with lunch after all that had happened with Mod. He licked his fingers of the warm gravy while he walked through the house. He turned on the T.V. and watched some show that he wouldn’t remember later. He got on the computer and browsed the Internet for a bit until he got bored, then he walked to his room, contemplated getting another sandwich, and then realized his door was closed. His mom must have cleaned it. She usually closed the door after she cleaned for whatever reason. Joe couldn’t think of a reason why she would clean it, since it was already clean, thanks to her.
He opened the door and two very familiar faces greeted him with smiles. The small face beamed with bright whites contrasted by dark skin. The face with the blonde hair sported a long crooked grin. Both sat on his bed, waiting for him.
Joe: “Melissa! Dahlila! I can’t believe it’s you!”
Melissa: “You mean you can’t believe that we’re alive.”
Joe smiled at the smart little girl.
Joe: “Yeah, I guess.”
Dahlila: “We could say the same about you.”
Melissa: “And we did … a couple of times.”
They all laughed.
Melissa: “I’m glad we all made it back and safe.”
Joe had so much to say.
Joe: “But how — I mean, what happened?”
Dahlila tapped on the bed, signaling for Joe to sit down. Melissa scooted down and made space for him between the two of them.
Dahlila: “We’ll tell you that in a minute. Right now, though, I have an important request. We need your help!”
Joe nodded. These two had kept him alive in the depths of the stadium. He would return the favor and help them no matter what.
Melissa: “Thanks, Joe. I knew you were a good person.”
She smiled up at him. How could he say no to that?
Dahlila: “Thanks to you, our escape was easy. Most of the security went your way at first. By the time most of them came after us, Melissa and I had already found a nice quiet back way out. I had to crack a few skulls but a lot less with your distraction. We’ve been on the run since that day, but we don’t have a place to stay.”
Joe: “Don’t worry, I’ll just call Borland, he’ll be glad to see you. Wait here. I’ll go get the phone.”
Joe started to get up, but Dahlila pushed him back down effortlessly with one arm. Joe was confused.
Dahlila: “That’s not necessary.”
Joe was more confused.
Joe: “Why not? He told me that he knew you. He wants to see you. He worries about you.”
Dahlila: “I figured as much. For you to be alive still, it had to be either him or the super-spy helping you out.”
Joe: “Super-spy?”
Dahlila: “It’s just what I call the dark-haired lady. Your partner, I mean. She’s good. I’ve seen her in action. She was there the night they caught me.”
Beauty, Joe guessed.
Dahlila: “But the reason that I refuse Borland’s aid is simple. If I go near him, he’s dead. He’s only alive because he doesn’t know what’s in that stadium. They want to keep him alive on the off chance that he finds us so that they can take us all out. We’re a danger to their operation. Anyone close to us, including Melissa’s remaining family, are being watched and can be used as leverage on us. He has his hands on their pulses.”
Joe: “Who is ‘he?’”
Dahlila: “Stevinn Blonsky, and he’s not the only one. He’s just the dirtiest one.”
Joe: “What about the gray-haired man at the stadium?”
Dahlila: “I’m not sure, but he’s important too. Borland would probably know who he is, especially by now.”
Melissa: “His name is Grabas, and he’s a bad man too. He hurt a lot of people.”
Dahlila: “He and Blonsky are perfect company then.”
This puzzle was getting more and more complex by the day, and more dangerous. Blonsky was certainly a scary guy, and so was that gray-haired man. Something about his eyes had unsettled Joe. If the man was anywhere near as nasty as Blonsky, then Joe had much and more to fear.
Joe: “Well, if not Borland’s, where will you stay?”
Dahlila: “That’s why we’re here. We were hoping you’d let us stay at your place.”
No no no, Joe thought.
Joe: “Um…”
Dahlila: “Not for long anyway, but until we can get Blonsky off of our backs.”
Joe: “And how long do you think that would be?”
Dahlila: “Not long. I already have a plan to get him out of our lives.”
Joe didn’t like the sound of that. It was mainly how she said it. Her words had such finality in them. He was more worried about housing them, however. His house wasn’t very big and there wasn’t really a way to hide them from his parents. He needed help, but from who?
Dahlila: “And Borland can’t know that we were here. He’ll try to take us in, regardless of the danger. I can’t have him doing that.”
Joe then knew what to do.
Chapter 19
Occupado
It was actually chilly out, so much so that Joe had to grab a light jacket. He didn’t wear it for long though. He gave it up to Melissa when she let out a little sneeze. September was coming to a close and the moon overhead was getting fuller and fuller. Tonight it was about four-fifths complete. Nevertheless, it was quite beautiful.
Joe picked up a pebble that was the shape of the overhead satellite and chucked it at the window. After that, there was only quiet. Joe picked up another pebble, this one a little bigger than the first. He chucked this one more softly. Only quiet answered back. Joe whispered to himself.
Joe: “I hope he isn’t sleeping in there.”
He was out of options, so he picked up a bigger rock, this one roughly the size of his thumbnail. He threw it underhanded like a softball, and as gently as he could. As the rock left his hand, the window was opened up about halfway. The rock sailed in effortlessly and Joe could hear a quiet curse inside the house. There was some scuffling and Joe heard a few voices. He thought he heard Kate, but wasn’t quite so sure. After a bit, Mod finally poked his head out of the window.
Mod: “Joe?”
Joe: “Who else would it be?”
Mod: “I was hoping for Dianna Agron or Lea Michele, but I’m forced to settle for you. Why must the heavens be so cruel?”
Joe: “Very funny, but I’m here for a reason.”
Mod: “That reason being…?”
Joe: “I need your help. Could you go grab a few blankets for me and meet me by my car?”
Mod yawned, and didn’t seem to comprehend what Joe had asked of him. He stared blankly at Joe for a while.
Mod: “You didn’t kill anybody, did you?”
Joe couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, so he opted to answer.
Joe: “No.”
Mod: “Okay fine. Cuz I’m not helping with that, no matter how cool we are.”
Mod closed the window and went bumbling through the darkness of the house. Joe walked back to his car and sat on his hood as he waited for Mod to return. All in all, it took Mod a little over three minutes. He came out of the house with a bundle of blankets in his arms, wearing red-tinted glasses and a fuzzy red robe that was a darker shade of red than his hair.
Joe: “What the heck are you wearing? Isn’t it a little too dark for sunglasses?”
Mod: “Listen, Ungrateful Joe! If I wasn’t rudely awakened from my sleep, maybe I’d have taken a little time to doll myself up. As it stands, you’ll just have to put up with this and like it; otherwise, my blankets and I will be going back inside. Now why do you need this stuff?”
Joe: “Just put them in the backseat and see for yourself.”
Mod looked at Joe warily and then peeked into the back seat.
Mod: “Wh
o are they?”
Joe: “Friends.”
Mod: “I’ve known you for six long years and I’ve never seen you with these girls. I would’ve remembered them, especially the blonde one.”
Joe: “I met them recently and they need my help. More specifically, they need a place to stay.”
Mod: “Umm…”
Joe: “I’m not asking for them to stay here, but I don’t have any room at my place either.”
Mod: “Then where are you taking them?”
There was silence and Joe simply stared at Mod. Mod looked at Joe and lifted his eyes and head as he made a realization.
Mod: “You’re taking them to the clock tower, aren’t you?”
Joe: “Yep.”
Mod: “I wouldn’t exactly call that place livable.”
Joe: “It’ll do.”
Mod: “Well, they’ll need more than these blankets. Wait here while I grab them some sleeping bags.”
Joe: “Thanks, Mod.”
Mod shook his head and handed Joe the blankets. He disappeared into the house and returned shortly after with two sleeping bags rolled up in each of his arms. Joe popped open his trunk and placed the blankets and bags inside.
Mod: “There are snacks wrapped up inside the sleeping bags. There’s chips, crackers, cheese, juice, some veggies, some apples, and some gummies.”
Joe: “Mod, I really can’t thank you enough. You really came through for me and them tonight. Seriously, thanks, man!”
Mod smiled and lazily answered back.
Mod: “It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Joe: “I just have one more favor.”
Mod: “Joe, I’m tired and getting sleepier by the second.”
Joe: “Sorry, I know. Just please don’t tell Kate about this! Please promise me!”
Mod: “What!? No Joe! I can’t believe that you — you didn’t? You aren’t, are you? And with her?”
Dahlila and Melissa were inside the car giggling as if they could hear the conversation. Joe suddenly felt very embarrassed.
Joe: “No, no, no! Never. I’d never do that to your sister. Now just promise me. There are very important reasons for why she can’t know.”
Mod: “Joe, if you’re cheating on my sister I’ll—”
Joe: “For the last time, NO! Now please promise me you won’t tell her.”
Mod: “Don’t worry, I won’t.”
Joe: “Thank you.”
Mod: “I’m going to bed. If you want something else, make sure to call Santa Claus, because the next time I hear a rock or a knock against my window I’m calling the cops.”
Chapter 20
Home Sweet Clock Tower
The drive there went quickly enough. It was even easier getting into the tower at this time of night. The only company that the three of them had was a blinking traffic light and that was a mile down.
Joe brought the girls in from the back entrance. He couldn’t tell one from the other thanks to the bundle of stuff each held in front of them. Only when their heads poked out to the side to see where they were walking did Joe see who was who. He decided to help lighten their loads once they reached the stairs. He took the sleeping bag from Melissa and had her carry the folded blankets as he had originally intended before the girl declined. She was adamant about pulling her own weight, a virtue that was taught to her from her dad, by her telling. That was all fine and dandy, but Joe didn’t want her to trip and break a leg. He wouldn’t have that at all. He liked the little girl. She was very sweet.
Melissa looked up at the long stretch of stairs going towards the rooftop, and Joe followed her gaze. He could see nothing but black after the halfway point until the very top where a small sliver of blue light could be seen.
Melissa: “Wow, it looks much bigger inside than outside.”
Joe had always thought that too, especially when he walked the winding steps. The climb had always taken so long and his thighs would always burn, and his ankles were seldom not sore once he reached the top. Outside the tower didn’t look very tall at all, despite that.
Joe: “Maybe there are double the stairs.”
Melissa giggled at that and Dahlila shook her head in disapproval. They weren’t going to go up the stairs tonight, however. It was much too dark for that and Joe was getting sleepy.
Joe: “The room you gals will be at is through this door here, so we’ll skip the stairs for now.”
They walked through the small single door and into a room that was nothing but shadow and moonlight. Joe was used to daytime strolls here. It had been quite some years since he had seen the inside of the tower at night, and it was very striking to see. Pale blue light poured in over the long oaken benches that sat, black as night, near the front of the hall. The light came from the five large windows that surrounded the room. The windows were set high up, unreachable by unaided human hands. There was mostly empty space, especially if you discounted the benches. A large ornate tapestry that strongly smelled of dust took up most of the room’s space. The tapestry had some sort of coat of arms on it, with a spear, vines, and that thing that Julius Caesar and the Little Caesar guy wear on their heads, Joe had concluded. The girls looked to and fro, surveying their new digs.
Joe: “There’s a lot of space here as you can see. That’s why I figure it’d be a good spot to sleep. Plus, there’s no wind.”
Melissa: “But it’s so cold in here.”
Joe couldn’t disagree with that. It was always colder inside the tower than outside it for some odd reason.
Joe: “Yeah, it’s always like that. Sorry.”
They put their sleeping equipment on the floor and Joe continued the tour. He pointed up to the front, where an altar sat with a woman’s face on it. They all walked towards it.
Joe: “I think this used to be a church or something. There’s a statue of some famous wise woman up there. I never figured out who she was, but the description under the altar says that she brings out the potential in men and helps them reclaim their destinies.”
Dahlila: “She looks tough.”
Melissa: “And beautiful.”
Joe nodded his head in agreement with both accounts, and continued on. He led them to the front hallway, near the front door, along with the coat closet. He warned the girls never to use the front door.
Joe: “If you have to leave, use the back door. You don’t want to be seen in here, and the front door leads right to the streets.”
He then walked them through the tiny kitchen where the slivers of moonlight filtered through an overhead vent. The kitchen was still very dark regardless of the moonlight, and Joe loudly called himself stupid for forgetting to bring any flashlights.
Melissa: “I still have mine!”
Dahlila looked over the old appliances and wiped dust off the stove and blew it from her fingers and off into the air.
Dahlila: “Does any of this work?”
Joe: “I doubt it. The tower doesn’t get power, and I’m sure they turned the gas off too.”
Dahlila made a face as if she smelled something rotten.
Dahlila: “I guess beggars can’t be choosers. Draft up the papers, we’ll take it!”
All three of them laughed at that. Afterwards Joe felt a yawn trying to escape.
Joe: “Well, this is it for now, I guess. It’s not the best, but it’s peaceful here. That’s why me and Mod like it, but we’ve never slept here overnight.”
Melissa: “What about the top? You haven’t shown us what the view looks like yet.”
Another yawn crept up, and this time Joe couldn’t stifle it.
Dahlila: “He can do it some other time. Come on, let’s set everything up for bed.”
The little girl looked as disappointed as Joe had ever seen her look. She didn’t look sad per se, just a little less happy.
Joe: “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind, Dahlila. Come on, follow me.”
That perked Melissa right up. She gave Joe her flashlight and he led the sortie up the winding staircase, wi
th both girls not far behind. Once they neared the halfway point, he looked back after he heard Dahlila say something to Melissa.
Dahlila: “Why’d you lug that up with you?”
Melissa: “Oh, I forgot that I had it in my hands.”
Joe looked and saw that the girl was carrying her sleeping bag. Dahlila eyed her suspiciously.
Dahlila: “Mmhm.”
At the halfway point Melissa spotted an open window that was just beyond her reach. Joe turned down her request to be lifted into the large windowsill because he felt it was too dangerous. Dahlila seconded his decision.
Joe: “I promise you’ll have an even better view at the top.”
They continued on to the top, and once more — like before — his thighs burned, but this time his ankles didn’t hurt quite so much. It was here that Joe lost the attention of both girls. They gaped up at the insides of the four pale blue clock faces that glowed with the moon’s light. Their own faces glowed with that same light. After that Melissa put down her sleeping bag and inspected the other gears and machinery. He figured she’d have long enough to do that later though. He wanted to get to the coup de grace. He needed sleep sooner rather than later.
Joe: “Okay, gals, this way please.”
Melissa smiled up at him, obviously excited by all the mechanical wonders around her, and took Joe’s hand. He led her up one more level of stairs to the southern clock face and they looked out of it. The wind was blowing coolly, just as Joe had said, though it wasn’t even half as chilly as the altar room downstairs. It was a nice night.
Melissa wanted to climb a little higher, and this time Joe obliged her. This windowsill was much bigger than the one below, and there was enough space for her to stand on the inside. She stood transfixed by the goings on outside and below, and then by the stars.
Melissa: “I think I’m going to sleep up here.”
Dahlila sighed.
Dahlila: “You knew you were going to sleep up here, you little sneak.”
Melissa smiled and shrugged while Joe laughed.
Dahlila: “Greeeaat! Now I have to go get my sleeping bag.”