“No. It’s a long and complicated conversation.”
The hope died. A mission for the Mirror could take a week or a month or half a year. He needed help now.
“So what am I supposed to do?” Jack asked. His voice sounded defeated even to him.
“Keep your head down, and don’t do anything stupid,” William said. “Stay out of trouble until I come back.”
“Not going to happen,” Jack said. He couldn’t stay out of trouble because he had no idea where normal ended and trouble began. “I can’t do that. I don’t know how.”
“Yes, you can,” Cerise told him.
A faint noise tugged on Jack, the dull hum coming from above. William rose and walked out of the kitchen. Jack followed. Outside, the hum grew louder. Jack squinted at the sky. A small dot darkened the clear blue, growing in size.
Cerise stepped out behind them. “A wyvern.”
“Mhhhm. Air Force.” William growled under his breath, and he and Cerise strode across the inner yard to the gate. Jack trailed after them. They passed through the dark gateway and out into the light again.
The wyvern dropped lower, a huge, scaled creature with massive leathery wings that spread so wide, their shadow covered the entire clearing. Its two muscled legs were bent close to its scaled belly, pale purple, like the sky at dusk. The beast circled the house, tilting as it turned, and Jack caught a glimpse of green scales on its back and the tightly woven wicker shelter of the cabin. The air had a dry, bitter wyvern scent. It made Jack’s nostrils itch, and he sneezed.
The wyvern banked, flew over their heads, and landed in the wide field in front of the house, its wings spread, its two legs digging into the soft soil. It shifted in place, settling down, spread its wings, dipping them down to rest on the grass, and lowered its head to the ground. The door of the cabin swung open. A dark-haired man emerged and slid down the wyvern’s side to the ground, like it was a playground slide. The wyvern stirred, sending a gust of air their way, and Jack caught a familiar scent. “Kaldar.”
William growled under his breath, looking as if he had bitten something sour.
“Cousin!” Cerise waved. “Long time no see!”
Lean and light on his feet, Kaldar landed in the grass and strode to them with a big smile on his face. He wore jeans and a blue T-shirt that said WORLD’S BEST UNCLE on it in black letters written in the Broken’s English.
Kaldar was Cerise’s cousin. The last time they had met, Jack and Lark were still friends, and she told him to watch Kaldar at dinner. While people ate and mingled, Kaldar stole things from their pockets, then put them back.
“Hello, hello!” Kaldar grinned wider, showing white teeth. Cerise hugged him; he laughed and held his hand out to William. William unclenched his teeth and clapped Kaldar’s hand and made some sort of quiet snarl that could’ve been hello or could’ve been I’ll kill you, Jack wasn’t sure.
Kaldar pumped William’s hand and turned to him, palm out. “Jack!”
Jack took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
Kaldar’s eyebrows crept up. “Easy now. Don’t break my fingers.”
Jack hid a smile. Heh-heh.
“I’ve come to beg for help,” Kaldar said. “Professional, not personal.”
“What is it?” Cerise asked.
“I’m tracking the theft of an item for the Mirror. The trail led into the Edge, so I ran some evidence I had by a buddy of mine in Baton Rouge PD.”
“Did sirens and blue lights go off when you walked into the police station?” Cerise asked.
“Very funny.” Kaldar grimaced. “I had a fingerprint I lifted from a crime scene in Adrianglia. He ran it through the database. One of the thieves popped up. He is in California in a drug rehab facility.” Kaldar grimaced again. “To get to him, I have to fly to the Democracy of California on the Weird’s side. You know what it’s like. I need backup.”
William showed Kaldar his teeth. “Not happening. We’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Business?” Kaldar asked.
William nodded.
Kaldar sighed.
“You could request assistance from the field office,” Cerise said.
“And work with a stranger? Please.” Kaldar frowned. His eyes lit up. “Wait. Give me the boy.”
“He’s twelve!” Cerise reached over and gently popped Kaldar on the back of the head.
“Not Jack. Gaston.”
Jack bared his teeth. He liked Gaston about as well as William liked Kaldar. Gaston was William’s ward and Cerise’s nephew or cousin or something. He was bigger, stronger, older, and he wasn’t all human, either.
William shrugged. “He isn’t a full agent.”
“He’s been trained by the Mirror for three years, he’s nineteen, and he can lift a cow. I am not exaggerating. I’ve seen him do it. Let me take him.”
“I’ll think about it,” William said.
“Why is everything so difficult with you?” Kaldar raised his left eyebrow.
“I’m responsible for him,” William growled.
Kaldar’s face turned serious. It was like someone had jerked the funny mask off his face. “William, I was there when he was born. I changed his diapers. Do you honestly think I’d let any harm come to him?”
“Let me think . . .” William leaned forward. “Yes!”
“That’s ridiculous. I just need an extra pair of eyes and ears. Consider it his final exam, Professor. I can look after him much better than you.”
William took a step toward Kaldar. His eyes got a predatory glint.
“All right!” Cerise declared. “Why don’t we go to the house and have some delicious rabbit before I pull out my sword and have to separate you two.”
She put her hands on the arms of both men and pushed them toward the house. “Come on, Jack.”
There was nothing to do but follow.