"You can't drink that in here," the Uber driver told me, momentarily taking his eyes off the road to glance in my direction with a mix of concern and disapproval.
"Just keep driving," I instructed him between gulps from the open bottle of wine I held in a brown paper bag. The urgency in my voice was unmistakable. "We're almost there." My mind was racing with the multitude of tasks I had to accomplish now. Heading to Luke's house was essential and served a dual purpose. Firstly, I had to tell either Luke or Beatrix what I had done; that I was now a Guardian of Belkeep. Secondly, and most dreadfully, I had the harrowing task of retrieving Cody's body from beneath the stairs and taking him to Belkeep where he could rest in peace.
"They heading to your place?" the driver laughed, a light-hearted comment in stark contrast to my grim reality, as several police cars sped past us, their lights flashing and sirens blaring.
My stomach tied itself into a tight knot. "Shit!" I muttered under my breath, watching the police cars turn onto Luke's street in the distance. A sense of foreboding washed over me.
"I can walk from here," I told the driver abruptly, signalling for him to stop. A part of me knew I wouldn't be able to fulfil either of my top two priorities now, and the realisation was like a punch to the gut.
"Huh? We're almost there," he replied, a hint of confusion in his voice as he tapped the screen of his smartphone.
"Just pull the fuck over!" I demanded, the urgency and frustration in my voice spilling over as I reached for the handbag at my feet. The situation was taking an unexpected turn, and I needed to think fast.
Signalling as he decelerated, the driver pulled the car to a stop by the side of the road. "Are you sure?" he asked, concern evident in his tone as I opened the door and let myself out.
"Want some?" I offered the driver some wine, a half-hearted gesture driven more by my own turmoil than any real desire to share.
Face blushing, he shook his head feverishly. "Can't. Driving."
I shrugged, a mix of resignation and anxiety coursing through me. Removing the bottle, I scrunched the brown paper bag and threw it onto the front seat, letting the door clang shut with a finality that echoed my feelings. I impatiently waved the driver along, eager to be alone with my thoughts.
In the not-too-far distance, I noticed a hasty car leaving the small turning circle by the side of the road opposite Luke's house. It left a cloud of dust pluming into the air as the car accelerated, quickly passing us by. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood there, watching the car disappear, feeling a mix of dread and determination. I needed to act, and fast.
Dusk settled in, casting a sombre hue over the road as I walked along, my heart heavy with trepidation and uncertainty. What the fuck!? My eyes caught sight of a police car, its red and blue lights reflecting ominously in the windows of the neighbouring house, while it sat idling in Luke's driveway. Knowing that a visit to Luke was now out of the question, but driven by a mix of curiosity and concern, I crossed to the opposite side of the road to observe from a safer distance.
Nearing the dirt-laid rest spot, I noticed a dark car parked under the dim light of the streetlight overhead. The owner, preoccupied and looking down, was barely visible in the growing darkness. Squinting, trying to make out the figure, a spark of recognition flickered within me.
Detective Lahey!? My mind pieced together the familiar form as I approached the car. Without waiting for an invitation, driven by a sense of urgency and desperation, I opened the passenger side door and sat myself down, taking another heavy gulp of my wine.
"Gladys!" Lahey cried out, her voice a mix of surprise and disbelief at my sudden appearance.
"Sarah," I said, extending the open bottle of red wine toward her, the gesture both an offering and a plea. "I need your help."
The sound of shouting in the distance, the police entering Luke's house, created a cacophony that was jarring against Sarah's dumbfounded silence. The contrast between the chaos outside and the stillness within the car was stark, a moment suspended in time as we both grappled with the unfolding events. The weight of my request hung in the air, a silent plea for assistance in a situation that was rapidly spiralling out of control. As I sat there, offering the wine to Sarah, I was acutely aware of the complexity of the situation I had found myself in, and the potential consequences of the choices I was about to make.
"Gladys, what the fuck!?" Sarah's voice, sharp and incredulous, finally broke through the heavy silence enveloping us.
Ignoring her exclamation, I took another long swig from the bottle, the wine offering a momentary escape from the overwhelming reality outside.
Suddenly, a loud gunshot sounded from the direction of the besieged house, shattering the tense quiet. "Luke!" I cried out instinctively, my voice blending with Sarah's own plea for her detective partner.
"Karl!" Sarah choked out the second mention of his name, her voice thick with panic and fear. She threw open the car door and, in her haste, stumbled out onto the gravel, her movements clumsy and desperate.
You'd think she was the one with the bottle, I mused bitterly, downing another mouthful of wine. Despite my immediate concern for Luke, a part of me clung to the confidence that he, being a Guardian, would escape before getting shot. Right? The thought was both a hope and a question. Knowing Jamie was already sentenced to Clivilius for life, I knew the gunshot couldn't have been for him.
But then, unwelcome images of Cody, his neck broken and blood-stained, flooded my mind, sending a wave of nausea over me. My eyes stung with tears and my throat burned from the bile racing for release. Cody was also a Guardian. And he's dead. The realisation hit me like a physical blow, and I threw myself from the car, landing on my hands and knees as I vomited, relinquishing the thin contents of my stomach onto the gravel.
Wiping the remnants of saliva from my face, I regained some semblance of composure and made my way to the driver's side of the car. I wanted to get as far away from the revolting stench of my vomit as possible, to escape the harsh dry retching it provoked.
Walking briskly, Sarah returned from her quick visit to Luke's house.
"Who is it?" I asked, leaning my back against the side of the car. My trembling hand raised the shiraz to my lips, my curiosity piqued despite a deep-seated doubt it would be anyone I cared for.
Pale-faced, Sarah took a deep breath, the strain of the moment etched across her features. "I don't know," she exhaled loudly. She seated herself in the front seat, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly, as if seeking some anchor in the chaos.
Manoeuvring around the vehicle, I seated myself in the passenger seat. "I need to know," I pressed, desperate to learn more.
"I didn't even fucking recognise her!" yelled Sarah, her voice cracking under the strain as she lifted her head from the steering wheel to turn in my direction.
"Her?" I echoed, my voice catching in my throat, my eyes widening with a dreaded fear that seemed to claw at my insides.
"It's not your sister," Sarah said softly, her tone a mix of reassurance and exhaustion as her head returned to the wheel.
I brought the shiraz to my lips again, swallowing loudly, the wine doing little to ease the tight knot of anxiety in my stomach.
"What the fuck do you want, Gladys?" Sarah snapped, her patience fraying at the edges.
I stammered for words, each sip from the almost-empty bottle a momentary respite from having to answer. "I need Cody's body," I finally managed, the words tumbling out almost involuntarily.
Staring at me in bewilderment, Sarah shook her head, a clear refusal etched across her face. "No. I can't help you," she asserted, her voice firm, indicating that she saw no way to assist me in what must have sounded like a morbid request.
But further details of my idea, what I believed to be a brilliant one, rose to the surface of my thoughts. "You know they're going to discover you were there when they find his body," I spoke calmly, my gaze still fixated on Luke's house. "It's inevitable." The words hung in the air, a statement of a grim reality.
The detective's eyes closed tightly, her forehead creasing in ugly concentration.
"If you help me, I can make your problem go away," I urged, attempting to appeal to her sense of self-preservation.
"How?" Her tone expressing her reluctant curiosity.
Reaching into my trouser pocket, I extracted my Portal Key, the small device that had become a symbol of my newfound identity and responsibilities.
"With that?" asked Sarah, her tone skeptical, not waiting for an explanation.
I nodded, my impatience evident as I took another swig from the bottle.
"What is it?" asked Sarah.
I held the wine toward her, a silent offering.
"I meant the thing in your hand," she clarified, her brow furrowing deeply.
"I know," I said, my voice tinged with a hint of mischief as I continued to offer the wine. You're going to need it, I told her telepathically, a silent communication that spoke volumes.
Like our previous encounter, Sarah accepted the bottle and promptly drained the dregs. Meanwhile, I leaned forward and, collecting the small notebook from the floor at my feet, I slid my finger across the Portal Key's small button.
Sarah's eyes widened in astonishment as she watched the small ball of energy shoot from the end of the device and explode in a burst of colour across the surface of the notebook.
"What the fuck!" Sarah exclaimed, almost spitting the wine in shock.
As she reached out to touch it, I swiped the book away, mentally commanding the mesmerising colours to vanish as quickly as they had appeared.
"Drive," I instructed firmly, taking the empty wine bottle from Sarah.
"Drive where?"
"Anywhere. Somewhere private,” I replied. My voice was steady, my decision clear. There was much to do, and little time to do it.
"Are you sure they can be trusted?" I asked, my voice tinged with skepticism and concern as Sarah pulled the car into a driveway. The decision to go to a private place was necessary, but I couldn't help questioning her choice.
"It's my house," replied Sarah, her tone clipped as she opened the car door. "Get out," she instructed, leaving no room for argument.
Silently, I obeyed. The realisation that Sarah had her own place hadn't crossed my mind, and the alcohol in my system dulled my surprise, preventing me from dwelling too long on my false assumption.
Inside, we wasted no time on pleasantries or tours. The urgency of the situation guided our actions as we stood side by side in the living room, our focus entirely single-minded.
"Show me again," Sarah demanded, her gaze fixed on the unobstructed grey wall.
Extracting the Portal Key from my pocket, I obliged. With a swift movement, sparks of colour burst across the living room wall, painting a mesmerising display as the swirls of light collided. The Portal Key's magic was as breathtaking as it was terrifying.
"I need to take Cody," I said, my voice breaking with a sniffle. Uncontrollable tears rolled down my cheeks as the walls I had built to block my emotions finally crumbled under the weight of my grief. "His children want him back," I added, the words heavy with sorrow and responsibility.
"Through that?" asked Sarah, her eyes wide as she took a tentative step forward, indicating the vibrant portal on the wall.
"Yes," I replied, my voice solid and determined.
"What... where is it?"
"Clivilius," I answered, the name dripping from my lips with a bitterness born of pain and loss.
"Is that where Karl is?" Sarah’s question was tentative, a hopeful inquiry into the fate of her partner.
I nodded, assuming her fears. "Yes."
Without reservation, Sarah rushed toward the buzzing electric colours of the portal, her actions driven by a desperate need to understand, to find answers. Reacting quickly, I commanded the portal to close before another catastrophe could occur. With a heavy thud, Sarah's body collided with the now dark, solid wall where the portal had just been.
Reeling back from the wall, Sarah turned her frustration toward me, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me, the force of her grip causing the tears that had remained undrained in my eyes to spill over.
"What the fuck did you do that for!?" Sarah yelled, her voice echoing with anger.
"He's not there. He's not there!" I screeched, fighting to push Sarah away from me.
"You just said he was!" argued Sarah, her frustration manifesting in a clenched fist that slammed into the wall hard enough to draw blood from a knuckle, sending small chunks of plaster debris floating to the floor.
Stepping away cautiously, I continued to explain. "Karl is in Clivilius, but in a different location."
"I don't understand." Sarah began pacing the room.
"Portal Keys," I began, holding up the small, rectangular device, the key to another world. "They open different locations in Clivilius. They can be opened from anywhere on Earth but are tied to a single place in Clivilius. Mine... and Cody's," I paused, taking a deep breath to maintain a semblance of control over my emotions. "Ours open in Belkeep."
"And Karl isn't in Belkeep?" Sarah interrupted, her voice a mix of hope and desperation.
Shaking my head, "No. Luke took him to Bixbus."
Sarah's pacing stopped abruptly. "Then I want to go to Bixbus."
"You need Luke for that."
"Then take me to Luke. You must know how I can find him." Sarah's plea was earnest, a request borne out of a desperate need to find her partner, to embark on a journey into the unknown in search of answers and, perhaps, redemption.
A wild flame of determination danced behind my eyes as they glistened, dampened through the tears that were a mixture of grief and resolve. "Help me get Cody's body. If I take him to Belkeep, nobody on Earth will ever know what you did, Sarah. The evidence will be gone forever," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. The plan was audacious, but it was the only way to gain Sarah’s help and secure Cody's body.
"I want Luke Smith," Sarah demanded, her voice tinged with desperation. Her focus was singular - she wanted answers, and she believed Luke held them.
"Help me get Cody's body, and I will get you Luke Smith," I assured her. The promise was a gamble, but one I was willing to take. We were both entangled in a web that went far beyond our understanding, and I needed her cooperation.
A few minutes of silence passed as we each processed our thoughts. Closing my eyes, I let the alcohol navigate my veins freely, its tranquility a brief respite in my restless mind. In the quiet, a clear vision of success began to emerge, a plan forming despite the stacked odds.
"How the hell am I supposed to get Cody's body?" Sarah blurted, her voice slicing through the thick silence that had enveloped us.
Eyes locked on Sarah's in a determined stare, I announced my plan. "You're going to cremate him." The idea was wild, impulsive, yet it held a certain ingenious logic.
Sarah gasped loudly. "Gladys, you're insane," she exclaimed, her disbelief evident in her tone.
Perhaps, I scoffed silently inward. But there was a deeper truth that I finally acknowledged to myself, and to Sarah. "I'm in love," I admitted, a confession that explained, at least in part, the lengths I was willing to go to.
Tears welled in Sarah's eyes. In that moment, I knew we shared a common ground, a mutual understanding of love's power and the desperate measures it could drive us to.
"Fine. You've got a deal," said Sarah, her glistening eyes never breaking from mine.
I breathed a sigh of relief. While I didn't really want to have Cody cremated, it would provide an acceptable cover and location to retrieve his body and return it to Belkeep. My mind was already racing with the logistics, the risks, and the necessity of the task. It was a plan borne out of desperation, but it was the only plan I had.
