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Chapter 14: Parts in Motion

"I hate puzzles," I said with a groan and put my chin in my palm. I had a sheet in my hand and was looking over the squares of letters and numbers, feeling a little sick to my stomach all the while. To think that Mordecai had actually written these, and these were his plans, bothered me more than I wanted to admit. I pictured Gideon handing him these pages and setting out his pen. Just what was he even doing with that monster? It made my anger start to rise to the top and I gripped the table tightly with one hand.

"Stop," Fiz said and thumped my head with a grape. How he had such great aim is beyond me, but it nailed me right between my eyes. I grunted and caught it in my hand, popping it into my mouth.

"Stop what?"

"Anger bad." Fiz threw a grape up into the air and caught it in his muzzle. "Mistakes."

I countered and caught the grape in my hand that came soaring at me once more. I sighed and ate it, too. "I'm sitting here looking over a puzzle, I'm not in a knife fight or running for my life."

"Anger bad," Fiz repeated, looking to Rut who was hunched over the table, hand running through the longer fur on his head fur and deep in thought. Usually by now he joined in our little back and forths. He was clearly thinking very hard. "Makes things worse."

I was about to ask when Rut spoke up. "Fiz doesn't get angry, not a lot anyway," the white fox said as he was looking through the pages and filling in boxes quickly. "It's...not too good for either of us."

"That's cryptic," I said. "What, are you two like magically linked or something?"

"Balance," Fiz said, holding his hand out and balancing three grapes on top of one another in his palm. "Balance!"

Rut looked up, rubbing the side of his head with ink stained fingers. "He means we keep each other in balance. We don't generally do well when we're apart for very long."

I thought about it and had to agree. But it was more because Rut kept Fiz out of jail. I didn't see what Fiz did for the white fox, but they were close. When they really got talking they would often use a shorthand that I couldn't follow. I think that's why Fiz speaks the way he does now--he's just always in that shorthand.

Feeling antsy, I got up and went to our small kitchen and started to boil water for tea. I hummed a little as I peered out the window overlooking the alley and wondered just where Mordecai was right now. Was he in that big tower? Was he hunting like he was in London?

"I almost wish he was the fictional monster," I said aloud, both brothers looking up at me as I pulled the tea kettle off the stove and walked over with the tea set. Pouring Fiz a cup I put it down in front of him. " When he was Spring Heeled Jack to me."

Rut quirked his brow. Shorthand for "keep talking," I thought.

"I mean, when he was this unknown, I could almost imagine he wasn't real, imagine that what happened to my friends was an accident or something. Now that he's real, and a real person I can see in the newspaper, it's all the more..." I trailed off.

"Real," Fiz said. He was playing with his knife again, throwing it into the air and catching it with ease. How he did it and not cut himself to ribbons always baffled me. "Real die. Real can be killed."

Rut was sipping his tea and tilted his head at the pages, humming to himself and cleared his throat. He stuck his tongue out. "Simon, you can't make tea at all...and that's saying something."

"Huh?" I said, knowing a joke was about to smack me in the face.

"You're English," Rut said. "You people drink tea like miners drink whiskey."

I flattened my ears and scowled at the white fox across from me. "Oy, its not like we all just had a spotta tea all the live-long day. I actually liked coffee but the Sister said it made me heart thump too much, and I'm gonna thump you if you don't get that bloody smirk offa that ugly mug of yours." I let my accent, maybe a bit more pronounced than I intended, come back through. I was grinning though. So were the twins.

This was nice. I can't remember the last time I felt more relaxed than I did at this very moment. Sure, Mordecai was a danger to everyone but I had never felt this calm on the Paramour, nor afterward when I was trying to find my way around the city. Even Siro, for all his mothering he did, didn't get me this calm. For a moment it felt like the old days, sitting around the table with Billy and Avery and planning adventures when we could spare some time after work.

My smile became forlorn as I thought about them. I missed them so much. Yes, I had something of a ghost of my friend following me around, but he either wasn't real or I was talking to a shadow of the boy I once knew. It wasn't really Avery, not my Avery. And Billy...whatever happened to that tiger? I was so sore at him for running off when he did, not letting me say goodbye and give him a hug. Was he okay? Was he even alive?

My eyes watered a little and tears threatened to come forth when Rut slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"We have to go!"

I yelped and almost fell out of my chair, the feeling of sadness long forgotten. I looked up at the white fox who had his twin standing next to him and peering down at the paper.

"This message is his schedule for the next three months." Rut quickly took out another sheet of paper and quickly sketched lines intersecting each other at various points. It didn't take me very long to realize that he was drawing a crude map of Manhattan.

"I've been struggling because the lunatic puts the numbers backwards, but this here is his plans to buy up everything between Mulberry and Hodgkins," the white fox continued, pointing to a section of the code that he was just working on. "But there's a catch -- he doesn't plan to buy them at value."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused as to what Rut was getting at.

Rut pointed to a table with a list of addresses, each address followed by a number. "This page here shows what his costs were. They were so low that I didn't really understand it at first. But then I looked at some of the things he's already done, and the property values are the same in the Vinelands as they are intended for this area."

I was still confused at the name Rut dropped without any explanation. "What's the matter with Vinelands? What happened?"

"Burned down," Fiz said calmly.

Rut nodded. "And everyone sold to small companies for pennies. Renaldo was pissed when that happened."

"So he's going to burn down the neighborhood?" I had to admit, it also wasn't anything unexpected of the man. Mordecai was not above killing to get his way. I looked up at Rut. "When's it gonna happen?"

"Tonight," the white fox said as he grabbed his coat and began to pull it on. Then, he paused when he remembered something. "Your boss, Patrick? He's in the middle of that area, isn't he?"

A chill ran down my spine. "I have to go warn him," I said, rising to my feet. But I found that I could barely move as quickly as I wanted.

My entire body felt numb. Everything seemed to spin slightly around me as I grabbed the table to stabilize myself. Various thoughts whirled around inside my head.

Was another person I know going to die because of me? After all, Mordecai wouldn't even be here in New York City if I hadn't fled. I felt guilt closing in on me once more, its cold fingers tightening its hold around my neck, causing me to take short breaths as I felt all the oxygen was slowly being taken away from me.

"No," Rut said, grabbing my hand. The fingers around my neck loosened, and I could feel myself breathe easier. The white fox's purple eyes were staring into mine.

"You're the one thing we have that he wants. If he catches you tonight, he won't care what happens to the rest of this city. We don't know his plans beyond a week out, and if he has you, we'll lose any chance at manipulating him."

When he made sure that I wasn't hyperventilating anymore, Rut loosened his grip. "Right now, he doesn't even know where you are. But once you get seen outside, he'll know you're in the Black Sock territory."

"But Rut... this is all because of me. You can't--"

"Yes, I can," Rut said with a firmness in his voice that I hadn't heard from him before. He walked over to me and grabbed me by the shoulder, shoving me back into the chair. "You know how many people are going to be out and about tonight protecting that neighborhood? We can't spare people to watch you, and you can't fight."

"Can't fight," Fiz added with one of his sagely nods.

"So stay here. We'll be careful and the gang will get to the area and stop him. There's going to be fights tonight, easy, and Fiz is the best fighter I know. We'll be safe, I promise."

"Rut, I don't like this. I'm involved..."

"Just do this, Simon." The white fox sighed, exasperated. "You've asked a lot from everyone, and I'm asking this from you. Stay. Here." Each of his last two words sank in like anchors in my mind.

"Fine," I said with a scowl. I noticed Avery was crawling in from the outside window. He was a ghost; couldn't he just float through the walls?

"Thank you," Rut said and walked to the door. "If you hear fighting, lock yourself in the secret hiding place under the table, but nothing should get this deep. Just be careful."

"You too," I said morosely, watching the twins jog out of the apartment and close the door behind them. I walked over and locked the door.

Why was everyone fighting but me? I knew why. What would a slut and a chimney sweep do in a fight? I knew how to punch but I was nothing like Fiz, or Tin, or Nickel. I didn't even know how to fire a gun. Maybe I should work on that.

I looked over at Avery who was sitting in the chair and waved at me. I rolled my eyes and walked away, heading to my small room. Of course Avery followed me. I began to tug my shirt off and threw it into the corner, then crawling onto the bed in my pants and peering out the window. It was still dark out, and quiet. Good... no fire. Not yet at least. If there was one, I would see it on a night like this.

---

"Simon, I'm bored." Avery said from the foot of my bed. He was kicking his feet and sighing dramatically. "You're an adult now, can't you go out to a bar or something?"

I glared at Avery in the darkness. I had been thinking about my friends out there maybe dying, but Avery had kept bugging me to go do something, like play a game or even go have sex. Honestly, I had considered going out onto the street and finding someone, but I knew Rut would lose his mind if he ever found out. Plus, I could get hurt just like he said.

So I had done the one thing I always did when I was bored and stuck indoors, I tried to go to bed. I hadn't had this much trouble falling asleep in weeks. I tossed and turned, and every time I felt like I was starting to doze off Avery had asked me a question. I wanted to wring his neck but remembered he did this when he was alive, too.

"I'm not going out, and why are you talking? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" I complained, glaring at my wolfish friend who was grinning from ear to ear.

"You're not tired," Avery said, getting up from the spot on the foot of the bed and walking over to my small dresser and hopping up and sitting on it.

"I'm having trouble falling asleep," I admitted. "I can't stop thinking about Fiz and Rut. What if they're hurt?"

"Worrying about it isn't gonna do anything." Avery said very sagely. He then looked like he had a bright idea and his hand came up and snapped his finger. He always did something like that when he had an 'idea' after he'd seen it in a nickelodeon. "Why don't you do what you always do to make yourself sleepy?"

My eyes widened and my ears turned pink. I pulled my thin sheet up a bit closer and cleared my throat. "You saw me do that?"

Avery nodded. "Once or twice in London. You always passed out when you were done. You also do it a lot more now that you're an adult."

"Avery, I'm not going to do that. Especially not with you in the room!" I growled, flattening my ears against the top of my head.

"Why? You're already dressed for the occasion." Avery had a wry grin on his face.

I was naked. I slept naked since I had come to New York City. I had done it for the first time during my travels around the world in ports...and I had found I liked it. I didn't have to bundle up for warmth like I did in London. Of course with being naked ease of access to my body had led to more fun times before falling asleep.

But still! I didn't want to do it in front of Avery. He was a kid. I shook my head and sat up, bunching the sheet up more in my lap. "I'm not jerking myself off with you in the room. You never hang around when I have a guy in the room with me."

Avery shrugged and jumped off the dresser and took his spot at the foot of the bed. "You don't like being alone, so I figured I would be the other set of eyes. Trust me, I know what you're doing so it isn't anything new to me, Simon."

"Avery, no," I said with a glare at the small wolf. "I'm not doing that in front of you, even if I would when you weren't here, so stop asking. You and I..." I trailed off, thinking about how to put it into context.

Avery tilted his head while watching me quietly. I could tell he was holding his tongue. Avery was always great at knowing when to keep his muzzle shut.

"I just don't associate you with that part of me," I said softly, looking at my dead friend. "Let's pretend you weren't dead -- I wouldn't want you to be in my bed with me. I don't see you that way. You're like a little brother to me. Plus, you never liked other boys."

"I liked girls," Avery said with a nod. "You remember when Billy kissed me in the brothel where we ended up when we went out looking for ghosts? That certainly didn't make me interested in kissing boys!"

Avery giggled a little bit, jumped up, and sat on the window ledge. His oversized hat cast a dark shadow on his face, but I could still see the glitter in his eyes, the same mischievous glitter that had always pulled me out of a dark place back in London, the glitter that I never thought I could see again when I saw his mutilated corpse hanging from the building that fateful morning.

"But fine, you're not gonna be any kind of fun tonight. I'll see you later, Simon!" I saw my friend tilt himself backwards and flip himself over the window ledge. It was a neck breaking height outside my window. I didn't hear a splat or breaking bones.

I sighed and shook my head, rubbing the side of my head and laid back, putting my hands behind my head and stared up at my ceiling. What did Avery get out of wanting to see me masturbate?

He'd never hung around before. Every time I'd slept with someone, or was about to sleep with someone, I never saw him, even when I knew he'd been following me. At first I had worried he'd pop up in the middle of sleeping with a mark but it never happened... but now I was fairly certain that if I started pleasuring myself, Avery would show up again.

Truth be told, I wasn't even in the mood. I was just thinking about my friends right now and it was hard to get myself standing up at attention when I wasn't sure if they were alive or dead. I sighed and got up and crouched in front of my window, putting my elbows on the wooden window sill and looking outside. I had my nose up and tilted to the cool night air and breathed in.

I could smell the neighborhood, the people who lived to the left of us, and the river. But no smoke, no flames. If something had been burning there should have been something on the breeze. Of course the wind could have been working against me, but the night sky was also dark. Were we going to be successful?

I laid my chin down on my forearms and flicked my tail, watching the clouds in front of the moon roll forward and over the light, bathing the city in darkness and light as they moved. It would be a full moon tonight if not for all those clouds.

I did everything I could to stay awake, but I was exhausted. Ever since I had met Tin and Renaldo and there seemed to be a plan to help contain Mordecai, I had slept like a log nearly every night. This had come from I was lucky to get two or three hours a night because my mind wouldn't shut off. I was tired and making up for missed hours it seemed.

I don't even remember feeling my eyes droop, I was staring out my window one moment and then in the warm and familiar darkness of my dreams. I wish I could actually remember them, but it was a good dream. I remember feeling warm and embraced, like I had been wrapped in a warm blanket on a freezing winter day.

I was mumbling something in my sleep when I suddenly felt my whole world jerk.

I gasped as I saw the world spin and my back slammed onto the floor of my bedroom. I heard screaming. A male voice, angrily screaming. I felt a foot connect with my side and sent me rolling. I was trying to roll onto my back to stand up when that same foot slammed down onto my chest and pushed.

I stared up at my attacker. How did he get in? I made sure the door was locked before going to bed. Did he come in from the window? But who was he? Was it Mordecai?

My vision was blurry as I made every attempt to focus my eyes on who was kicking me. Through the pain felt in my back, my side, and my chest, I managed to see the attacker, and I couldn't have been more surprised.

It was Rut.

At a first glance, I knew that he looked... different. Very different from his usual self. His bloodshot eyes looked exhausted and his fur a little scruffier than before he had left. One of his sleeves was completely ripped off and his jacket absent. His clothes were splattered with mud and blood.

He was also pointing a revolver right at my head.

It was a big gun. Shiny and silver, and the way he held it said he was very, very comfortable with it. But he was also shaking in anger. He pushed down and snarled in rage. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"Rut!" I groaned when he pushed down on my chest so hard I thought I broke a rib. He kicked my side and then slammed his foot back down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. My hands were up and holding his ankle. "Rut... What..."

"We were doing fine, Simon," the white fox snarled again and fired the gun. I felt heat and wood fly around the side of my head. I screamed and watched the barrel rotate to its next bullet, smoke wafting upwards from the barrel end.

"Fiz and I, we had each other. The two of us, we needed nothing else. He got in trouble from time to time, sure, but I was satisfied being the one bailing him out. And he would delight me with his silly little quirks. That was how things were between us for years and years. And that was how I liked it."

I looked around frantically to see if Fiz was behind Rut, ready to stop his brother who apparently went crazy for some reason. Heck, I was even hoping that it was some sort of joke or prank that the brothers were pulling on me. But I didn't see Fiz anywhere. He wasn't with Rut, and for the first time in my life, I felt my life being seriously threatened by the white fox who I thought was one of the most patient and intelligent foxes I've ever met.

"Then you come in, Simon," Rut continued, his breathing becoming heavier with each sentence he spoke. "You, who Fiz couldn't get enough of. Said you were great. Insisted we help you. WE INVITED YOU INTO OUR LIVES!" He fired another round on the other side of my head. I held myself still, not because I thought that was the best course of action to take, but because my body was frozen with fear. "And you do this to us?!"

"RUT!" I screamed, his foot shifting and pushing down onto my throat then, ready to crush it whenever he wanted. I could barely breathe, and I could only manage to croak out one word: "What...?"

"Fiz," Rut said with a cold malice I had never heard from him before. "My brother is hurt, Simon. Really, really hurt. He fought your Spring Heeled Jack."