The Trial of the Ghost

Chapter 4: Adoptive Family, the Ones You Chose

Everyone froze. Kra continued, picking up speed with every world, “I’m on assignment at a comedy club in Ulerntown called Comedy Bombity at 3220 Avenue 68 between 32nd and 33rd street.” She finally took a deep breath. All eyes on her. She smiled and cheerfully added, “You know what? I’m gonna put you on speaker so you can say hello to all the nice people.” She hit speaker. “Say hi mom!”

“Hello everyone,” Mar’s loud voice came from the phone. “Who are you with sweetheart?”

“You’ll never believe it,” Kra began, bringing the phone closer to her mouth, her eyes on the others, “but I’m actually covering this story with Allelosin La’dyliap. You remember Allelosin right? We did a project together in college and he called me islander and made that joke about my computer being out of date because of how long it took for tech updates to make it to M’sav. Remember him?”

“I remember. Hello Allelosin!”

“Hi!” Los chimed in, not sure what else to do. What are you doing, N’tek? he tried to ask with his eyes, knowing he’d get no reply.

“One day we’ll have to meet in person,” Mar continued. “Do me a favor until then, will you? Let my girl get a word in edgewise?”

“I’ll do my best,” Los promised.

He stared at Kra in a funny way she didn’t have the time to dissect at the moment.

“Mom,” Kra segued, starting to move towards her equipment, “we’re interviewing Mr. Vingalern Warnullak, the owner of this establishment, and Lyththannen Tersbeulmak, his bartender and business partner.” She had been paying a little attention to the interview. She slung Kyp Daily’s camera over her shoulder. She moved the speaker towards the gangsters. “Say hi boys!”

Caught in the trap of social niceties, they did.

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

Kra took a place beside Los. “The first one was Mr. Warnullak. He’s clearly of Ulern descent and about five foot three and upwards of three hundred pounds. He’s got a round face with a mole on the left, his left, side of his chin. His eyes are hazel and his dark brown hair is cropped close to his head. He’s wearing a fancy suit with diamond looking cufflinks, although they’re likely just crystal. The suit is tailored for him and his shoes look very expensive. Probably size ten? He’s got a silk handkerchief in his breast pocket.

“Mr. Tersbeulmak is five six and well built. He’s wearing a white button up with suspenders, brown paints, a black blazer, and it does not go together at all. His shoes are ordinary and black, nothing fancy, probably about a size eight and a half to nine. His dark brown hair isn’t as dark as Mr. Warnullak’s but it’s longer and curlier. He’s also of Ulern descent. Not surprising though, given the area of the city. His eyes are brown and his face is like an oval and his chin is pointed. Can you see them, mom? Can you picture them in your head?”

“I can see them, sweetheart.”

“You know, I uploaded some lovely photos of this lovely club to my Garn drive. I shared them with you earlier. Can you see them?”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Mar replied with an exaggerated sigh, “you know I’m old and not good at viewing pictures that way. I can never get it to work. Why don’t I download them and look at them that way?”

“Sounds great,” Kra informed her mother, holding in her laugh. Mr. Warnullak was almost foaming at the mouth. The sight made her want to laugh harder.

“Lovely,” Mar said brightly. “I’m downloading them now. I’ll have them in a minute.”

“You know, mom, why don’t Los and I finish up here and I’ll call you after we leave. Probably no longer than five minutes?”

She met Mr. Warnullak’s gaze. If glares could cut, she would be bleeding out despite being Troan.

“You do your job sweetheart. I’ll call you soon. It was nice to meet you all!”

“Bye mom! Love you.” Mar hung up and Kra slipped her phone into her bag. She met the eyes of the gangsters, her jaw clenched. “She’s expecting me to call back.”

Kra held Warnullak’s gaze. While fear defined her entire face, anger seeped into every pore of his. A cowardly reporter had played him.

“Damn you,” he muttered.

“Boss?” Tersbeullak murmured.

“Let them go.”

“What?”

“We need to get out of this city and we don’t have time to hide bodies.”

“We could take them with us!”

“And what about her mom?” He gestured to Kra with a gun and Kra flinched, her shoulders turning in.

No, Allelosin thought, wishing (despite it being illegal) that he was a telepath. Don’t show them more fear.

“She’s expecting a call!” Warnullak continued, his voice raised. “You heard it! They probably have a secret code for kidnapping or calling the police and we’d never know! Let them go. We might have a head start.” He glared at the reporters and gestured to the door with his gun. “Out! NOW!”

Kra practically ran towards the door as Tersbeullak started to run for the back one. She heard Allelosin backing away more slowly, keeping an eye on the gun Warnullak still held. Kra held the door for him and soon, they were on the street, making their way to the nearest subway stop. The moment the doors of the train back to the Dip closed, Kra let her knees go weak and hyperventilated. Los instantly reached out to steady her, his touch on her arm light but still firm and calming.

“Hey,” he muttered, “it’s alright. I’ve got you. Come on, sit down.”

He guided her to a bench and Kra muttered, “Ancients, we could have died.”

“But we didn’t,” Los replied gently, sitting beside her and moving his hand to her shoulder. “We’re okay. Breathe. In and out. In and out. Deep breaths, there you go.” Kra’s breathing steadied. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

“Thanks.”

He removed the hand from her shoulder. “We should call the police.”

She nodded and reached into her purse. She held out Los’ phone. “This might be helpful. I think it’s still recording? The police might find it useful.”

Los took the phone, his eyes wide and mouth slack. “I… I….” He opened it and shut off the recording. Los laughed. His shoulders relaxed and for once, he looked at ease. “You’re… you’re really something, you know that Kra N’tek?”

Kra smiled lightly. “I’ve been told that before Mr. La’dyliap.”

“Allelosin,” he corrected.

“Los,” she countered.

“Los,” he agreed. He smiled and, for once, it didn’t come off as forced. “Kra?”

“Kra,” she agreed.

Neither of them could feel it, but the universe smiled. It knew. It knew they would be the stuff of legends together. They couldn't know, obviously, but maybe, just maybe, they felt the inkling of it.

Los sat there with Kra, reveling in a silence that felt comfortable instead of his usual awkward. He looked at her and maybe, just maybe, he could try something he’d never been good at: small talk.

“So,” he began. “Do you have any siblings?”

“Not really,” Kra said. Her mouth twisted in amusement. “It’s complicated. I- I don’t know if my birth parents had any other kids, but my adoptive parents don’t have any biological children. But, well, they have me and Shel, who is the child of my dad’s sister and couldn’t raise them. See, my parents were made Shel’s legal guardians before I was adopted so I’ve grown up with them, even though they’re a lot older than me. So, er, yes and no, I guess. I don’t know.” She gave him a quizzical look. “Do sheep count as siblings?”

“Sheep?”

“My parents are shepherds. Growing up, I knew our sheep better than the other kids in Lil.”

“How did you end up with that town name?”

“Well, you see, it’s from the M’sailkeian-”

He shook his head, amused. “You are not making it sound better, shepherdess.”

“No more Islander?”

“Well, we’re not in college anymore, are we?” He sighed. “We should call the police once we get off the subway. And Buiyikyuk.”

“You’re very informal with Mr. Paitrewhi. Do you know him?”

“Yeah, he used to be friends with my father, but not anymore. He’s still friends with my mom though. I saw him all the time once I moved to Emlytos.”

“You haven’t always lived here?”

Losin shook his head. “No. My father…” Los couldn’t quite tamp the bitterness at ‘father.’ Or how his eyes got a far off look as his mind took him unwillingly into the archive of his memories. “He got custody of me when he and my mom separated,” Los began quietly, pushing the memories aside, “and we moved around a lot because of his work. My mom got custody of me in time for me to start High School, so I’ve only been in Emlytos since I was fourteen.”

“You walk around like a native.”

“What can I say? It’s home now.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“A little sister. Lyrusiba. She’ll start college in a few months.”

“Oh that’s lovely.” Kra looked ahead so he couldn’t see the mischievous glint in her eyes. “C- can she fight like you?”

“Oh, no. I learned while with my father. He… wanted me to. Mom, she’s a former army doctor, now an ER surgeon, and never made Siba learn. And since Siba never wanted to, she never did.”

“Well, you were amazing today.” She met his gaze. “Thanks.”

“Kra, you saved my life. You were brave.”

She shook her head, her own gaze lingering on her lap. “No, I was just, well, improvising and I think I used up my life’s allotment of bravery points.” She laughed, high and sharp and nervous. “Besides, if you hadn’t distracted them, I never would have been able to call my mom.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” he replied, nudging her with his elbow and matching the smile spreading across her face. “You might have more bravery points left than you think.” Kra shook her head and her smile fell a little. Los decided he’d let it go. He sighed dramatically. “Buiyikyuk is going to scream when he sees our article.” He gave the train car a thoughtful look. “I wonder if I can use the guilt of sending us into danger to make him not tell my mom when I do something reckless for the next month.”

“Reckless?”

“You’ve just met me, but heads up, I’d do anything for a story.”

Kra gulped, her shoulders tensing involuntarily. “Anything?”

“Well, almost.” Her shoulders instantly relaxed. “There are lines. Like, I wouldn't betray a source’s trust or hurt someone who doesn’t have it coming. I do have some lines, but risking my life and skirting on the edge of the law? That’s fine. I’d just rather not have my mom know.”

“Well, at least you have some limits.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“That I’ve met so far, but I- well, I live in fear of meeting someone with none.”

Los gave her a look. “What is it like in your head?”

“Scary.”

“Well, stick by me, shepherdess. I’ve got a killer right hook and I’m not afraid to use it.”

They smiled at each other and maybe, just maybe, they felt how the universe grinned down.

Later that night, Kra laid a hand on Cebrua’s open wound. “How do you keep doing this?” she asked, her tone void of any resentment but rather brimming with curiosity. “How many times is it now this month?”

Her friend grunted from the couch. “Questions later, healing now.”

“Someone is grumpy,” Kra murmured. She reached for the magic in the air and inside her and pushed it into Cebrua’s open flesh. She didn’t need as much of her own magic as she might elsewhere, just enough to shape what was in the air into healing energy.

There were many magical hotspots across the world; they spurted out magic from the earth to form the magical fog over the world that plants and animals and humans could take into themselves to use, and Thoghal was one of the largest Kra had ever felt. Larger than the hotspot on M’sav and certainly larger than the smaller one under Emlytos.

Sometimes, Kra wondered if the excess of magical energy in Thoghal was the reason Cebrua had so many more problems than she did.

“You try getting shot five times,” Cebrua grumbled, her eyes wandering to the bullets Kra had already picked out of her body. “Oh, wait. You can’t.”

“Seriously? How do you keep getting shot? Don’t you wear bullet resistant armor?”

“I do, it’s not full proof.” The wound closed and Cebrua started to sit up. “I’m not you.”

“Bru,” Kra said gently, pushing her back down, “you need to be more careful. You don’t have powers.”

“I don’t regret saving them,” she said. “I will never regret that, even if I die doing it.”

“And what about Dae and Jay?” Kra insisted. “What will happen to them if you get yourself killed?”

“Feyd will look after them,” Cebrua replied dismissively.

She tried to sit up again, but Kra pushed her back down with a pinky. Cebrua glared at her, but Kra made no acknowledgement of it.

“You’re their mother,” Kra reminded her sternly, still pinning her down with a pinky. “I know Feyd will do a fine job parenting, they did so with you, but you adopted those girls and the moment you signed those papers, you entered a sacred covenant to look after them as if they’re biologically your own. You’re responsible for them.

“So please, Cebrua, have a little more care for your own life, if not for your own sake, then for Dae and Jay. They don’t deserve to lose another parent.”

Cebrua glared at her. Kra glared back. Finally, Cebrua looked away.

“You know,” Kra said casually, “when you get your suit repaired, I could fly it over to Shel and we can imbue my strength into the fabric. Could help.”

“No.”

“Bru.”

“No. No magic. I don’t do magic.”

“And what happens when your enemies do? Hmm?”

“They already do, Kra. I’ll beat them, like I always have, by being cleverer.”

Kra raised her eyebrows. “By getting shot?”

“Kra.”

“I’m serious, Bru. Don’t fight with magic all you want, but protect yourself. Please. Or at least give your kids that chance.”

“We fight without magic, Kra. We’ll be fine. Thank you for offering, but we don’t need it. The girls are clever.”

Kra cocked her head. “The girls are bickering.”

Bru chuckled. “They do that. What is it this time?”

“Jay thinks Dae’s Bluejay suit looks stupid. She’s saying sky blue isn’t covert.”

“Oh no, not that again.” Cebrua groaned. “Stop listening, Kra. They can go on about that for hours.”

“Jay sounds like she’s quoting you word for word. It’s not practical,” she said, imitating Bru. “You look like a circus clown. They’ll see you coming a mile away. It’ll stain. It’s-”

“Oh shut up.” Cebrua swatted her arm. “Jay is not saying that.”

“She is,” Kra insisted. “Do you know how much that kid listens to you?”

Cebrua rolled her eyes. “She’s thirteen. She listens to no one.” She tried to sit up again and Kra let her. She stared at her alien friend in wonder. “Am I free to go, doc?”

“You are free to go to sleep. You’re healed, but the skin is tender. You shouldn’t go back out there. Especially with a damaged suit.”

“I’m fine.”

“You need to sleep more.”

“Says the girl who doesn’t sleep.”

“I’m an alien,” Kra countered, throwing a pretzel at Cebrua’s head, who caught it while only half looking. “What’s your excuse?”

“Meditation. Go back to Emyltos, N’tek. You aren’t my mother.” She tried to stand, winced, and forced herself up.

“Have you ever once taken care of yourself?”

“No,” Feyd said, entering the Nest. They nodded to Kra and put a spread of crackers, cheese, and meats down on the side table next to them. “She’s never done that. Ever. And I’ve known her all her life.”

“Great.” Kra rolled her eyes.

“I hate both of you.”

“Love you too, Bru,” Kra replied. “You know… I’m having a problem at work.”

“I know, you wouldn’t stop talking about it while I was bleeding out.” She held out a hand. “I know, I know, trying to keep me awake.” She sighed. “It was a clever trick. Getting the gangsters to not shoot you without revealing your powers. And I know what you’re doing. You don’t actually think you have a problem, so you’re stalling.”

“But you think I am, so why don’t you just tell me how stupid I’m being?”

“You’re stalling me so I can’t go back on patrol.”

“And you’re just going to text me all this later,” Kra countered, a small grin spreading on her face, a grin that came from knowing she was about to win, “so can you please spare my phone battery?”

They had another staring contest and finally, Cebrua started ranting, “Look, you’re going to be spreading a lot more time with Allelosin than you had counted on. You’re good at acting, but from how you’ve described Allelosin, he’s observant and there’s a good chance he could put the pieces together.”

“There’s not much more I can do, Bru. Unless you want to work with me on my human act more?” Kra laughed. “So, what time should we choose between our jobs, our patrols, me training Golden Eagle, you finishing Jay’s training, and you making sure Dae is ready to go to college next year?”

“We could find it.”

“And sacrifice what little sleep you still get to do it.”

Cebrua gave her a knowing look. “Are you ever going to tell me the Golden Eagle’s name?”

“Deflecting.” Kra grabbed a bowl of pretzels from the table and started shoving them in her mouth. “You know I won’t tell you. Besides, didn’t you already know three weeks before I did?”

“Oh please, she wasn’t active three weeks before you got to her.”

“See!” Kra waved her hand frantically at her friend. “Am I really supposed to believe you haven’t sleuthed your way to an answer yet?”

Cebrua smiled, tightlipped. Kra knew the look and shook her head. Cebrua wouldn’t tell her anything, no matter how much she pressed.

“You enjoy this, don’t you?” Kra diagnosed, crossing her arms with mock annoyance. “You don’t get to be clever in public so you enjoy taunting me, don’t you?”

Cebrua gave her the same smile and held out her hand. When they first met, Kra would have thrown her hands up in frustration. With four years of history behind them, she just chuckled and passed the pretzels.

Thaekymrodti examined the sky, leaning on the parapet of the family brownstone. Thoghal was a crappy city and every other night, the street lights were out, so it was even odds the light pollution would let her see some stars. Ever since her dad moved her and her mother into the city, she missed being able to see the galaxy. The stars were her friends. The stars never brushed off her problems.

She sighed. The street lights were on tonight. There were no stars. Thaekym started to walk to the stairs back to her room. She’d be back the next night. And the night after that.

It wasn’t as if her parents would ever know.

“Hey!” someone yelled. “Stop!”

Thaekym bolted to the HVAC system and ducking behind it. She made herself as small as possible. Don’t get seen. Don’t get seen.

“What?” another voice called, and Thaekym stilled.

“Can we take a break?” the first voice asked. “I got a rock in my boot.”

The second person scoffed. “We’ve been out for five hours and you’re stopping for a rock in your shoe? How am I going to leave the mantle to you?”

“Piss off,” the first one said.

The second laughed. “Yeah, the moment you can beat me in a fight, little sis.”

“Not fair! You’re three years older than me!”

“Excuses, excuses, Fledgling.”

“I’m reporting this.”

“And mention we’re having this conversation because you needed to stop?” They laughed again. They laughed a lot. “For a rock? Yeah, mom is going to pay attention to your complaint after that.”

“Oh whatever, we’re wasting time.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Fuck. You.”

“I’ll not tell mom you said that.”

“I’ll-”

“All I’m going to hear are empty threats, kiddo. Come on.” Thaekym peaked over the HVAC and saw a tall figure offer a hand to the sitting one. The sitting one took the hand and the tall one pulled them up. The two stared at each other and seemed to smile. “Let’s go hunt some criminals.”

“Whatever you say, Bluejay,” the first one–the Fledgling, she thought giddily–said tauntingly. “If you can keep up.”

The Fledgling ran to the roof’s edge and jumped across the gap while the second one, Bluejay, ran after, laughing.

Thaekym stood and watched the two of them run across the rooftops and fade into the night.

Superheroes. Real Bluejay and Fledgling on her roof. She’d seen them. She’d heard them. They weren’t just on her computer screen as they’d been for the last four years, ever since she started following their story, learning everything she could until she felt she knew every single one of their secrets.

Her heroes. Her idols. The subjects of many late night Garn searches, of highlighters on maps and binders of research accumulated until she thought she understood the picture. Binders then fed to her fireplace until she was sure they were nothing more than ash. They’d been on her roof.

They’d been on my roof. This has to be a new patrol route.

She climbed back into her room. It was large but it felt empty. She’d decorated it all with things she loved, but she’d done it all herself. There were no memories connected to her family here. Not even a family photo.

Crow’s sidekicks seemed to love each other and look out for each other. Bluejay had called Fledgling ‘sister.’ They mentioned a mom. Crow? That was probably the closest she’d get to confirmation.

What would it be like to be in a family like theirs? A family whose love was all the stronger for choosing each other?

How far would she go to find out?

She didn’t know. It both scared and thrilled her.