Read Second Class Supers – Page 33
As Kya arrived at the nightclub, it looked busier than it had been previously. She knew that Amelia’s contact, Frank B. was supposed to be there that evening under the fuzzy dice, but she didn’t expect the club to be so packed. From the entrance, she couldn’t even see to the back tables. As dozens of bikers were dancing, playing pool, and drinking beer, a small shoving match was occurring near the bar. Security was quick to respond, waving in Kya and then attending to the two large men pushing each other while a thin, heavily tattooed lady tried to step in between them.
The whole atmosphere was so far outside Kya’s regular existence that it felt like she had entered a strange movie. She pushed through the crowd, and made her way towards the seating area in the back. The thick smoke caused her eyes to water heavily, and her lungs to feel constricted.
The music was so loud that Kya felt it more than she heard it and an older man brushed up against her. He was flailing wildly on the small dance floor halfway between the pool tables and the lounge like area. He turned and saw Kya, and began to smile.
She felt a little wave of disgust as the old man’s chest moved independent of his aged, thin frame, it reminded her a bit of a woman jogging without a bra. She hadn’t seen someone so old move so lively before. His skin hung off his bones, his muscles were no longer firm, and his tattoos were long since faded. A scar across his face caught her attention, and Kya stumbled backwards. Without saying a word, the man recognized her disinterest, and immediately seemed content to continue dancing alone, wildly flailing his arms, completely carefree.
Kya noticed that three people were sitting in the far left booth with the fuzzy dice. A thirty-something man, with short dark hair and a square jaw, sat with a confident look on his face. His thick, suit jacket covered arms stretched around two young women, sitting on either side of him. His clean shaven face showed little wear or stress, and a pair of prescription glasses sat in front of him on the table. Next to the eyewear, a dozen empty bottles and glasses were strewn about the circular table. A laptop computer sat open to one side, it’s light illuminating the thin, young scantily clad woman to his right.
Approaching, Kya felt her throat nearly closing up. She couldn’t decide if it was due to anxiety relating to the situation she was forcing herself into, or if the smoke was so thick that she really couldn’t breathe.
“Can I help you, beautiful?” The man said, an instant grin plastered onto his face.
Kya felt frustrated at his cavalier attitude. The anger over Elliot’s death, and Amelia’s unknown situation hit her like a sledgehammer, and she wanted to wield that hammer and smash the grin off of his face. “I need to find Amelia.” She said. Her tone was curt, and it seemed to have caught the man off guard. “You are Frank, aren’t you?”
The man looked at each of the women with him. He gestured, and they quickly slid from the booth and disappeared into the crowd. “Yeah, I’m Frank. And if you want to talk business, you’ll have to follow me.”
Kya’s heart was racing, the drumming of it began to deafen her. The music in the club, which originally seemed fast, now felt like it was at one tenth its normal speed and volume.
Frank closed the laptop, and placed it within a shoulder bag. He grabbed his glasses, and put them on as he slid easily from the table. As he stood up, he hit the fuzzy dice hanging from the light. They went flying around sporadically, and then quickly slowed to a gentle sway. He gestured towards Kya and began to walk towards a metal door nearby on the wall.
Exiting, Kya found herself in the alleyway between the club and a two storey red brick building. There were a few lights along the alley, and Kya was able to see Frank with more detail than she had in the club. She noted that he stood only a few inches taller than herself, quite shorter than she thought he would be. His frame less opposing now, as his suit clad body looked rather thin, except for this thick neck and broad shoulders.
“So, you’re looking for Amelia, are ya? I don’t know what to tell you.”
“You know who I am talking about though? I think you gave her Supers.”
“Look, your friend did get Supers from me. She went against my advice and she couldn’t handle them. I tried to help her, but it was all her choice.”
“What do you mean, her choice? What did you do?”
Leaning against the wall to the club, Frank grinned, but the light exposed something Kya wasn’t expecting, sorrow filled eyes. “I could show you, if you want.”
“Show me what?” Kya said.
Frank slowly put his arm out at shoulder level. His palm face down. He nodded slightly, and then shrugged. “Touch my hand and you’ll see.”
Stepping in close to Frank, Kya felt like she was going to explode. She wanted to hit him. She felt confused, angry and frustrated, but she also wanted answers. Reaching out, she touched the tip of Frank’s fingers with her own, and instantly felt a fog wash over her.
“Frank!” Amelia shouted as she stumbled towards Kya.
Kya looked around and saw Frank right beside her. She realized that she hadn’t moved, and was in the exact same spot she was in before the fog. Kya tried to speak, but there was no sound to her words. Frank stared in the direction Amelia was coming from.
Amelia looked terrible. Her hair was a mess of knots and tangles and appeared to be changing colour and length at random. Her blue blouse was buttoned askew, her gray sweat pants were wrinkled and looked like she had spilled coffee on them. Amelia twitched her head around, trying to see in all directions, as though she was paranoid, or going insane. As she got closer, Kya could see dark circles around Amelia’s eyes, and it didn’t seem like she was wearing any makeup either.
“Hey, beautiful.” Frank said with a smooth tone as he took in Amelia’s haggard appearance. “Rough day?”
“Frank, you gotta help me.” Amelia was standing directly in front of Kya now, and her bloodshot eyes appeared full of fear as they darted left and right, seemingly unable to focus on anything.
“You want me to remove a Super or two?” Frank asked with his arms folded in front of his chest.
“Yes.” Amelia whispered.
“I told you.” Frank’s voice took on a tone similar to a parent lecturing a young child and he shook his finger at Amelia. “I told you not to get all five at once. Too much to handle, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Amelia whispered again, and tears welled up in her eyes. “I need all the voices to stop.” She sobbed, raising her hands to her head and pulling at her ever changing hair.
“It’ll cost ten thousand to extract the Telepathy.” Frank said, as he brushed a piece of green hair out of Amelia’s eyes. “More if you want to get rid of some others as well.”
“I don’t have ten thousand dollars!” Amelia said, and she began to shake.
“I don’t know what to tell you then.” Frank said, scrunching up his face in a sort of grimace.
“Please.” Amelia’s voice was so soft it was barely audible. “I’m desperate.”
“I can see that.” Frank said with a tiny laugh. He took a deep breath and stared at Amelia for a moment in silence, as if calculating what to do.
Amelia mouthed the word “please” again, but no sound came out.
“Listen, beautiful. I can give you another Super to help you control the rest.”
“Really?” Amelia asked, her face seemed to brighten with hope.
“Four little letters that mean a lot. W-I-L-L.”
“Will?” Amelia asked.
“Yup. The power to control your existence, and in the same vein, the Will to control your five other Supers.
“I’ll take it!” Amelia smiled.
“Well, wait.” Frank sucked in air between his teeth before continuing. “This isn’t an easy process. It’s super risky.”
“How much will it cost?”
“Are you listening to me, kid?” Frank leaned closer to Amelia and spoke slowly and directly. “It’s dangerous. There’s a reason the people in charge of Supers put a limit of five out there. Six… Well, it can really mess you up.”
“Look at me, Frank.” Amelia said, and Kya could see a glimmer of the strong willed friend she knew. “I’m already messed up. How much will it cost?”
“It could kill you.”
“I’d rather die than live like this. How much will it cost?”
Frank’s tone was low, he looked at the ground as he spoke. “A thousand.”
“I can do that.” Amelia nodded emphatically.
Malcolm's Ramblings 