Sometime after this, something very curious is happening.
It involves a young woman of maybe twenty-five at most, sitting by herself in a booth with what can only be described as an obscene quantity of cheap hard alcohol and going through it bottle by bottle in some kind of bizarre intoxication ritual.
Except that she's four down the line and still sitting up straight.
Apart from the occasional giggle she does not appear inebriated.
Digging a scrap of paper out of her pocket, she consults it and then snorts. Her grin widens into a full, confident, familiar expression, the kind of smile that appears on its wearer's face daily.
He bows slightly. "I would indeed. Doctor Fell, at your service." As he straightens, he shifts his eyes to catch a glimpse of what's on the paper, then snorts laughter.
"Allow me to venture a guess. Miss Renee Cooper sent you? That appears to be her sense of humor on display."
She's oddly warm. You might accuse her of running a fever, except that she appears perfectly, almost preternaturally healthy.
"You ain't seen nothin' yet," confides Alice in genial tones. "She pulls stuff like this on us all the time. Anyways, Sis sent me to say we've thought it over--" inexplicably, this elicits a wry smile-- "and we'd all like to talk to you back home."
Her easy shrug has an edge of defensiveness to it.
"Would've gone for here as a meeting place, but we can't bring Lucy to the bar. She doesn't do crowds."
It involves a young woman of maybe twenty-five at most, sitting by herself in a booth with what can only be described as an obscene quantity of cheap hard alcohol and going through it bottle by bottle in some kind of bizarre intoxication ritual.
Except that she's four down the line and still sitting up straight.
Apart from the occasional giggle she does not appear inebriated.
Reply
He almost doesn't notice the young woman until something about her catches his eye. She looks familiar, somehow.
Although the bottles of booze? That's new. He stops and looks the scene over with a raised eyebrow.
"Forgive me, but...is there something wrong with the liquor in this establishment?"
Reply
It's a little bit hesitant.
Digging a scrap of paper out of her pocket, she consults it and then snorts. Her grin widens into a full, confident, familiar expression, the kind of smile that appears on its wearer's face daily.
"Right, now it makes sense. You'd be Fell?"
Reply
"Allow me to venture a guess. Miss Renee Cooper sent you? That appears to be her sense of humor on display."
Reply
Still grinning, she returns the paper to its home and leans forward to offer him a hand.
"Alice Cooper. Nice to meet you."
Reply
"Blasted precognitives. I do believe she's showing off."
Reply
"You ain't seen nothin' yet," confides Alice in genial tones. "She pulls stuff like this on us all the time. Anyways, Sis sent me to say we've thought it over--" inexplicably, this elicits a wry smile-- "and we'd all like to talk to you back home."
Her easy shrug has an edge of defensiveness to it.
"Would've gone for here as a meeting place, but we can't bring Lucy to the bar. She doesn't do crowds."
Reply
That's the most benign interpretation of what Alice said that he can think of. Fell makes a mental bet with himself that it won't be the correct one.
"I assume by we you mean the other sisters she spoke of." He raises an eyebrow. "Is your power an inability to become inebriated?"
Reply
She snaps her fingers demonstratively, issuing forth an impressive shower of sparks.
"Pyrokinetic. Alcohol is fuel. Damn stuff won't get me drunk no matter--" a nod to the collection of bottles, empty and full-- "how much I try."
Reply
He leans a bit closer.
"I assume your sister has informed you whom I represent."
Reply
Reply
"Possibly," he adds with a twinkle in his eye, "at more length than any of you would like."
Reply
Reply
He's starting to really like these sisters.
Reply
Alice grins crookedly.
"I should know."
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment