[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

The girls were getting on thick as thieves, which gave Al time to thoroughly enjoy the scenery. With all the stops, it was early afternoon before they'd made the normally ninety-minute drive from Land's End to Lizard Point, from the westernmost point in England to the southernmost. There was a beautiful white lighthouse there atop a bluff, hemmed in on three sides by rocky cliffs dropping a hundred feet to a sea dotted by smaller outcroppings, like a giant's toes in a shallow bath.

The ocean was calm, but there was still a lot of turbulence and froth in the rocks below where the tide kicked against the stone wall of Britannia. They stood on the edge and smoked and savored the wind in their hair. Far out on the water Al could see fishing vessels plying their trade.

Grace had feuled them with a few fun-filled facts and then gone back to the car on one pretense or another, and Al wanted to say something to Alyce but as usual he wasn't sure either what it ought to be or even what he wanted it to be.

He was just reaching for her hand when he saw her. There, down on a saltwater-swept serpentine stone maybe a hundred, hundred-and-twenty yards out. He squinted, never having gotten out of the habit in the years since his eyes were replaced. He looked through the binoculars Grace had loaned them. Damn.

"Heya toots, lay yer eyes, er, yer sensors on that..."

"What is it, Al?"

"The girl down there, out on that rock. Don't know if ya got facial recognition or somethin' this far out, but that's Little-Miss-Know-It-All from the platform t'other day."

"Where?"

"That postage stamp o' rock, hunnerd yards or so out, yer eleven o'clock..."

"I see the rock, Al, but there's no one...."

"Aawwww...SHIT!"  The little girl was gone. Tendrils of foam were receding from the grooves in the rock, evidence of a wave that had just crashed down on it. She must have been washed off when he was talking to Alyce.

He looked down and gauged how far he'd have to get to clear the rocks at the cliff base, then skipped back away from the edge to give himself a run at it.

"Al...! What are you doing?"

"Damn girl's drownin'...Don't let this outta yer sight..." and he tossed Alyce his jacket and ran off the cliff - piece of cake without an arrow through him, he thought, and half the height anyway. His body formed an arrow and he cut the surface clean, then made his way out to where the girl had gone under.

There was a lot of sunlight. No undercurrent here. Saltwater didn't bother his cybereyes, and he could stay under as long as he needed thanks to his internal air source. And he could swim like a fish.

He searched and searched. Even though he didn't need to, he surfaced periodically. Alyce had been joined by Grace on the cliff edge, and he gave thumbs-ups so they didn't freak out. He searched for half an hour. Found nothing.

Hope lost, he made for land. The cliff face didn't look impossible, but there was an easier spot a bit down - he got out there and took off the wifebeater to wring it out. Finally took his boots off - they'd dragged like a bitch. The walk back barefoot dried his jeans a little, not much.

The girls found him about halfway up the bluff.

[Mercy Merchant]

Friday, August 1st, 2076


Alyce is confused by Al’s words but rechecks the feed from her drone and still sees nothing.  She sends the small thing flying out to the spot he is talking about to get a closer look, but still nothing.  She is turning to tell him when he backs off, tosses her his jacket and races into the void, falling to the water below.  Grace’s piercing scream follows him down the cliff face, echoing off the walls.  “Bloody fucking hell, what did he just do?  He’ll kill himself on those rocks.”
 
Alyce recovers a bit.  “No, he won’t.  He is Al Guthrie.”  She points to where the man rises to the surface only to go back under.  “See, just there.  He will be alright.  He was saying something about a girl on the rocks and that she must be drowning and then he jumped in to save her.”
 
Grace gives a startled look at Alyce before returning her eyes to the water below.  “My God!  He saw a girl down there?  From where?  Must have been one of the boats out there because there are no cars here, although I suppose that she could have gone down the steps over there.  But why?  It is insanity to go down there with the water coming back in.”  She pulls her handy out and looks at it.  “No bars here.  I could drive over to the next village back for some help.”
 
Alyce reaches out a hand.  “Not enough time for that.”  She lets her ultrasound scan the steps and nods.  “He may need help with the girl when he finds her.  Those steps.”
 
“You’re fucking crazy.  Those will be slick as hell.  You will never make it.”
 
Alyce smiles.  “You have seen Al Guthrie do the impossible.  Now watch Alyce Krait do it.”
 
Grace watches open mouthed as Alyce races over to the narrow steps with no side rails leading down the cliff face to the cove below.  The Keeb begins descending and Grace shakes her head, swearing to the world about crazy people.  As she follows Alyce down the first steps, she calls out, “What insane asylum did you say the two of you had escaped from?”
 
The wind at the top of the cliff is not too bad, but the shape of the vee cut here acts as a sort of wind tunnel, turning the wind into a raging monster that threatens to topple the two women as they work their way down steps made slippery by moisture from the spewing froth below.  With no hand rail, Alyce and Grace are forced to stick as close to the rock face as possible, grabbing onto whatever small crevices and bumps they can find.  They do find some old rusted iron rings on the rock face, so there must have been a rope here long ago.  The rope is gone but the rings themselves provide some handholds for the trip down.  Their progress is made all the harder by the wind blowing up Alyce’s sundress, forcing her to use one hand to hold the dress against her legs to prevent it from flying up into her face.  She is less than a quarter of the way down when she realizes that this is not going to work and she turns to Grace to hand her Al’s jacket.  “Hold this for a mo, right?  Don’t drop it or I am dead bloody meat.”
 
Laughing, Alyce reaches down and pulls the sundress up and over her head.  She is trying to wrap it into a bundle when a gust of wind whips it out of her hands and off into the gorge.  For a moment her face follows the frock then she laughs again.  “Well, doesn’t that just take the bloody cake.”  Wearing only her flats, she reaches for the jacket and carries it in her arm as she resumes  her descent.  So it is that when Al meets them, Alyce is naked except for her shoes and Grace’s top is so soaked that she might as well not have been wearing it.  Alyce notices that there is no girl with Al and her heart sinks as she hands him his jacket.  “I am sorry about the girl, Al.  I know that you tried.  You look frozen; you should put this on.  We should go back up and go get warm and call for help.”
 
The girls turn around on the stairs and begin the climb back up.  Being third gives Al a nice view of both female asses as they climb the stairs, but his heart is only partially in that as he mourns for the girl he could not save.  Once back at the top, any thought that perhaps Alyce’s frock had blown up here disappears quickly.  She puts her arms about her, a bit chilled even in the heat of the early afternoon and looks at Grace.  "My overnighter in the boot.  I have tomorrow's frock in there."  Grace nods and moves off to get the case.

Alyce turns to Al.  "I am sorry Al.  So bloody sorry.  You could not have done more.  But can I ask if you are sure that you saw a girl there?  My drone sensors did not pick anything up on those rocks.  No one at all.  Here, I can send the feeds to your 'link.  Please look at them."  She has already isolated the feed coverage and sends it to him to look at.
 
 

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

Standing barefoot on the wet steps, Al's first instinct on receiving his jacket from Alyce was to hand it right back to her - she clearly needed it more than he did. But instead he shrugged it on - he didn't know what excuse she'd contrived to get naked, but he figured it had been her choice; far be it from him to rain on her parade. He'd tossed his soaked wifebeater, Docs, and socks to the hired girl and trudged up the steps behind them.

Up at the top, Grace headed for the car and Alyce tried to console Al on the loss of the girl. She was sweet. "Reckon warn't no one there ta find. Knowed it was probably a phantom, jist couldn't take the chance." He sat down on the grass to look at the images she'd sent just as a tour bus pulled up. Soon the place was bustling with sightseeing retirees, or pensioners in the local dialect, and one would never know there had been any sort of crisis.

Al was always loathe to part with his Pa's jacket, but he had done so for three reasons. First, obviously, it was heavy and well nigh impossible to swim in. Second, he'd wanted something to tie Alyce to the shore, lest she jump in after him and leave him with two people to save. And third, it contained his 'link, which was expensive, his Thai porn star cards, which he'd had for seven years now, and, most importantly, his Zippo and Lucky Strkes. These he now extracted, lighting one for himself and one for his dramatically underdressed and obviously bereft of smokes date. He then rolled the jacket into a pillow and stretched out on the grass to let his jeans dry, the sun warm on his chest, his commlink in his hand.

Comparing the time stamp on the feed with the moment he'd spotted the girl - he always knew the exact time of things - he looked to see what the camera had seen. it had not been focused on the rock at that time, but it had been in its field of view, and it was easy to blow up the rock from the corner of the image. "Nope, yer right. Not a damned thing there. Hell, probably shoulda double-checked with ya afore divin' in. Water were nice, though."

And if the ladies had been inconvenienced, that was on them for worrying too much.

"So here's what I'm thinkin'," he said, turning his head to speak to her. He ignored the surrounding tourists, who were giving them a fairly wide berth in any case, and the breathless arrival of young Grace. "Whatever form she may've taken back on that train platform, it was diff'rent from what I saw on the rock, cuz yer sensors read it diff'rent. Warn't no coinkidink ol' Al saw 'er out there today, so that's intent. An' since the obvious response ta expect would be fer me ta try'n help, well, ta me that says mischief. Don't know what the little chica's game is, but reckon we'd best treat 'er with a modicum o' due concern."

[Mercy Merchant]

Friday, August 1st, 2076


Alyce plops down on the grass next to Al, letting the sun warm her.  The slight breeze was tickling at her and far more comfortable than the swirling gusts that had ripped her dress from her.  She takes the cigarette from Al, glad that hers were still in the car and not in the sundress that was now missing.  Sitting in the sun, she waits as Al goes through the images she had sent him.  The arrival of the tour bus complicates things a bit, but Alyce makes no effort to hide herself from the people that pile out of the vehicle.  The guide tries to coral his charges over to the lighthouse, but some find staring at the naked Alyce to be more entertaining. 

Grace arrives with the overnighter and Alyce puts a spare dress on, much to the disappointment of the onlookers.  The young driver looks at her passengers and shakes her head as she laughs.  "OK, who are you people, really, and where have you been my whole life?  I have never had a more fun day and it is not even half two in the afternoon yet.."

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

"Well, li'l darlin', ya know who this is already, rock star o' the cello world, Robyn Ly-somethin' or other." He stood up, jacket in hand, the weight of the water in his jeans dragging them low on his skinny hips. He'd never known fiddle players could be so famous. Clearly he needed to get a bit more culture.

"Me." he continued as the three walked back to the car, "Reckon I'm jist as advertised. Alouicious Harlan Guthrie, esquire. Been earnin' my daily bread mainly in the stevedorin' trade, till lately, but I'll allow as I've done more'n a few shifts in canneries an' on oil rigs."

He was closing one of the car windows on his wifebeater and socks now so that they'd hang out and dry in the wind as they drove.

He was conscious that the girl's wet shirt was likely uncomfortable, but that not everyone was as happy as Alyce to just shed their clothes in mixed company. Trying to be indirect, he scratched idly at the hair on his chest and offered, "Done some drivin' in my day, too, if'n ya'd like ta dry off inna back while I take the wheel fer a spell. Don't reckon we'd tell no one."

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

Grace nods.  “There’s a lot of good to be said about a man that works hard.  And for a man that would leap off a cliff to save a little girl.”  She turns to Alyce, adding, “And the woman who would chase after to help him.”  She helps hold Al’s socks and shirt against the window as he closes it, and smiles at Al’s offer while shaking her head.  “Thank you very much for the offer, but company policy, you know.  I am a bit uncomfortable, though, and I have a spare top, it you don’t mind stopping for a mo once we get away from the bus.”

She finds a wide spot to pull off to the side and lets her passengers out for a smoke break as she walks to the rear of the car and opens the trunk, fishing out a dry white top.  Looking around to make sure there were no cars coming, she quickly removes her top and bra, giving her passengers a good look at her breasts.  She places the wet items in the trunk then slips into the dry tank top, turning to Al and Alyce.  “Alright, ready any time you are.  Still have a drive to go to get to Falmouth, but I have already called ahead to make sure that your rooms are held past check-in time.  There is lots to see on the way.”

Alyce had reached out to take Al's hand as Grace replaced her top and is smiling as they return to the car.  She snuggles next to Al and says, "Al, I am not sure of the mischief.  Perhaps she is trying to tell us something?  That is twice now, only I did not see her this time.  But she was bloody obvious at the train depot.  Why the difference?  Is it you she is interested in?"

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

With no cigarette to keep his fingers busy, and uncertain what idle hands might get themselves up to in the back of a car with single-article-of-clothing Alyce, Al was absently doing one-handed shuffles, triple-cuts, and fans with his cards.

"Me? Ol' Al ain't no pederast, much less a whoremonger 'mongst the dead. Shee-it, woman, got enough trouble with the livin'. 'Sides, women on this mortal plane's unable ta deny theyselves ta me by virtue o' my masculine charms, raw animal magnetism, an' mastery of all manly arts."

He held up a finger to pause the conversation. "Hey, you up there. Ya reckon ya could deny yerself ta ol' Al?"

"Oh no, sir, not for a moment," the girl replied, a laugh in her voice and her tongue firmly in her cheek.

Al turned back to Alyce. "There, ya see? But none o' them qualities'd hold one iota of appeal fer no ghost. Still...I ain't surprised yer givin' 'er the benefit o' the doubt - yer always seein' the good in folk, you are. Hell, I ain't fergot how ya thought them folk tryin' ta kill us back inna jungle were jist a bunch nice fellers, playin' by the rules an' lookin' forward ta havin' them of us as happened ta survive over fer a family cookout once the job was done. That's a fine Christian quality ya got there woman, an' speaks admirably of ya, but I'll venture it's a liability in some fields of endeavor."

He stretched, annoyed by the way his bare back stuck to the leather seat, cards turning pirouettes in his hand all the while..

"But I'll allow as an open mind's in order. Hell, all I said was we should proceed with caution. I ain't in the habit o' killin' kids. Not even dead ones."

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

Alyce smiles to herself.  Grace’s response to Al’s question had not been as light and playful as it had sounded and she wonders just how much Al really realizes about the effect he can have on some women, despite his rather bombastic claims.  Her face and voice take on a more serious manner as she resumes the conversation.  “I am not as leery around spirits, having seen many Below, but some of them are not kind and I agree that caution is advised.”
 
During the next stop for a smoke break, Grace comes up to Alyce and the movement of what is slightly hidden under the tank top reminding Al that she had removed her bra to let it dry.  “So, did I hear that you have been Below in London?  I have always wondered what that is like but was never brave enough to just go.”
 
Alyce smiles.  “I think that Below is a wonderful place and I have a house I keep there.  In fact, I spend about half my time in London in Below.  Would you like to go there some time?  I could show you around.”  She motions to Al with a hand.  “My friend is not a fan of the place and might not accompany us.  But I dare say that you would be safe enough with me.”
 
Grace suddenly leans forward then takes a short hop back.  “Bloody hell.  Excuse me, but did I just see your tattoo move?  Is that some artist’s trick and where did you get that done?”
 
Alyce smiles and nods.  “Yes, it moves and yes it is some sort of trick, and mojo is involved somehow.  I got it Below.”
 
“Wow!  Brilliant!  I have never seen anything like that.  May I touch it and would I feel it move?”
 
Alyce nods.  “Yes, you may touch it and yes, it moves if you wait long enough.  It will not hurt you.  The one on my back moves as well.”
 
Grace’s eyes go wide.  “I thought so, but wasn’t sure.  You know, when we were on the stairs and I was behind you.  I thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me.”
 
Alyce smiles.  “I will have to show it to you again sometime, so you can see it better.”
 
Grace nods then seems to realize what was meant and blushes a bit before heading back to the car.  Alyce turns to join Al looking out over the ocean.  “Nice girl, don’t you think?  And I can tell that she is having a hard time resisting your charms and would likely agree in a flash to go to bed with you if you asked.”

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

"Yup. Reckon they all would," Al replied absently, wondering when or if the little ghost would appear again. If spirits passed when they were young, and somehow were stuck here, did they age, did they mature over the decades or centuries? Or did they retain their childlike souls?

They rejoined Grace. Al's shirt had dried and he pulled it free from the window.

"Do the dogs move, too?" she asked.

"What? Aww, no, nothin' so flashy as Miss Robyn's."

"But the color, the texturing, the definition - if it weren't for the halos and the hierarchical perspective, I'd almost think someone transferred a photo to your back."

"Heh. She worked off photos. But it's all hand inked. Had ta be, fer purpose."

He turned his back away from her and put on his shirt. Not to be rude. But they were his dogs, and private viewings were Alyce's department. "How much longer ta that steakhouse, darlin'"?

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

Alyce nods.  “I am feeling a mite peckish, too, Grace.”
 
Grace laughs as she holds the door open for Al and Alyce.  “That depends on how many stops we make.  Do you wish to just push through?  I can have us there in a bit under an hour and get us checked into the hotel then off to dinner for you two.”
 
Alyce slides into the car next to Al and looks at him.  “Can we make it in one go?”  She turns back to Grace.  “I think that will be good, please.  I will let you know if I need to stop for a quick smoke.”
 
Grace smiles and nods, shutting the door before climbing into the front of the car.  She puts it in gear and heads off down the road to Falmouth.

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

It was a nice drive. The scenery was pretty much the same as they'd been stopping to see, though, so the view from the car was good enough for Al. He liked gazing out over cliffs at the sea as much as the next guy, but a good ten minutes was plenty for him.

Food, on the other hand, well, that was a moral imperative. Can't have those poor cows dying for nothing.

He put his dried socks back on and laced up his still-wet boots as they drove. Looked at Alyce. Thought about the music she'd played outside her mole-hole the other day. Realized he'd never heard her play with the orchestra she subbed with. It was easy enough to find. Thought about listening in private on his earbuds. Knew she'd hear it anyway.

"Put this onna sound system, darlin'," he directed Grace as he sent the file to the car's node.

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

Alyce hears the first part of the concert and immediately recognizes it.   She places a hand on Al’s arm.  “Oh, Al.  This was the concert the orchestra did in Berlin two years ago.  I even have a solo part about halfway through, just before the intermission.  The people I play with are individually quite bloody good, but combined as a group, we are great.”
 
Alyce sits back in the seat and listens to the music, an obvious smile on her face.  Al notes that Grace bobs her head slightly to the music.  The songs are powerful pieces that can evoke strong emotions and he catches Alyce wiping tears from her face several times.  The cello solo is dramatic and completely amazing.  The concert is only up to the intermission when Grace announces that they will be arriving at the hotel in about two minutes.  Alyce leans over to Al, some of the last tears still on her face, and places a soft hand on his cheek.  “Thank you.”
 
Grace parks the car and holds the door open for her passengers and follows them up the steps and into the grand lobby of the hotel.

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

The place was nice. But of course it was. That was the thing about too damned much information at your fingertips, thought Al, no surprises. It was beautiful...exactly as it had been on the booking node.

Whatever - he figured a date, even a three-week one, wasn't the place for seat-of-your-pants travel. Never hurt to do things the easy way time to time, and he'd had some damned fine paydays recently. With no luggage himself, he grabbed Alyce's small bag, and then grabbed Grace's as well. Seemed like the courteous thing to do. Their party had been assigned three rooms facing the sea, adjoining doors. Al didn't even go into his - he was hungry, and waiting in the lobby was the best way to hurry the women.

The women. Plural. Shit. He addressed Grace as the two women were opening their doors. "Listen, yer welcome ta join us at dinner if'n ya want, li'l darlin'. My treat. But ya wanna break from the clients, ol' Al unnerstands that - I'll set up a tab in the hotel restaurant, you can git anythin' ya want in there once ya drop us at the steak joint. Do what ya want."

Turning to Alyce, he said, "Reckon I'll be downstairs."

[Mercy Merchant]

Friday, August 1st, 2076


Alyce nods.  "Down in a few, Al."  Entering her room, she walks to the large closet and unpacks her overnighter, removing  three extra sundresses and a bikini swimsuit and hanging them up.  She pauses for a moment, lost in thought, then nods her head before walking to the door that connects her room to that of Grace.  She unlocks her side and knocks.  "Grace?  Are you still there?"

Alyce hears footsteps on the other side of the door then the noise of the lock being undone.  Grace opens the door and says, "Sure, Miss Lysander.  What do you need?"

Alyce smiles.  "It's Robyn and I need you, come here for a minute."  Turning, she walks to the closet in her room and points to the hanging sundresses.  "You and I are not that far apart in size where it counts.  Pick one."

Grace looks puzzled.  "I don't understand."

"I was thinking that you were about to decide to stay in the hotel and eat and I would like you to eat with us."

"Oh, I am not sure that is a good idea.  Besides, I have nothing to................................."

"Yes.  The lightbulb is turning on.  I would think that a budding solicitor would be quick on the uptake.  Listen.  My Al is not sophisticated, he rarely dresses up for anything, his people skills are not great, but he is a man's man.  He is a doer.  He is Al Guthrie and that is all he needs to be."

Grace nods.  "You are in love with him."

"Oh yes.  I have made no attempt to hide that from anyone.  I am certain that he loves me, too, but he is having some...................commitment issues, maybe.  But in any case, I do know that does appreciate a pretty girl and you, my dear, are gorgeous.  I thought it might be fun to have us on his arm tonight.  Both of us dressed in one of these nice frocks.  Nothing goes any further than you want it to, but the evening will be fun and lively.  What do you say?"

Grace looks at Alyce for a few moments then nods.  "Sure, OK.  Why not?"

Alyce smiles and motions to the dresses.  "Pick one.  And there are a couple more things I should tell you that are guaranteed to make the evening a bit more fun, if you are up for it.................................

Al is pacing in the lobby smoking area, having been asked to go there by a very polite but insistent concierge.  He turns his head to look at the lift every time the bell rings indicating that it is arriving at the ground floor.  Its door has opened several times and Alyce and Grace have not been there.  This time they are, stepping out arm in arm and looking around before Alyce points in Al's direction.  He sees the two women approach him wearing flowery sundresses that are of a similar pattern but slightly different colors.  Both dresses show off all the right curves in the right places and the material stops just before it gets scandalous.  Both women are looking at Al as they approach him.  Grace is blushing a bit for some reason and Alyce hands her off to one of Al's arms and takes the other.  "I convinced her to dine with us.  Shall we?"

[adamu]

Friday, August 1st, 2076

Al's gut was rumbling impatiently when the elevator doors opened and what he saw made him forget his stomach altogether. Alyce was a vision as always. Yet another sundress graced the womanly curves of her lean physique. It was obviously a tailored cut, and dangerously short, just the way he liked it. Grace had decided to come along, which he figured was a good thing - she was a sweet little girl, he was getting plenty of chances to be alone with Alyce on this trip, and the girl's presence would protect him from any of those serious relationship discussions Alyce seemed so fond of. The girl's dress was a near-match with Alyce's, the fabric around the bust straining a bit but otherwise a good fit. While both women appeared to be in their early twenties - the one because she was, and the other because she was a keeb - their faces contrasted as much as their posh dresses matched, the girl's scrubbed face and blond hair complementing the woman's longer, darker hair, blood-red lipstick, and ostentious steampunk shades.

In his jeans, The Elephant was trumpeting for both of them. But in his chest, his heart was singing louder, and it was all about Alyce. "Ya light up ev'ry room ya enter, toots, an' teach ol' Al somethin' new 'bout beauty ev'ry time I see ya." He was delighted when she took his arm, and surprised (though he figured he really shouldn't have been) when she planted Grace on his other arm.

It made him a bit antsy to have neither hand free, but he reminded himself this was a vacation, not work. Besides, he'd noticed something else that required his attention. Poor Grace's white face was blushing pink. She being female, he could only guess why. But he figured she might be afraid she'd overstepped by joining them. Or else, like a woman, smarting at Alyce winning all his praise. "An' you, li'l darlin', ain't you a sight, what with them legs an' them beaudacious ta-tas? Real glad ya joined us. What say, jist in case it needs sayin', that yer off the clock this evenin'. Night out with new friends. Sure we can rustle up a cab."

They crossed the spacious lobby, a curious trio - the stunning women on either side of Al were not especially tall, but he in the middle was rather the shorter of the three, and looked much older. As they went out the doors to the portico, but before he could signal the valet to fetch a cab, they crossed directly into the path of another couple. She was a handsome matron whose obvious wealth was working very hard to keep her looking under forty. And he was the young man that had danced with Alyce on their cruise.

At the sight of them, or especially at the sight of Alyce, he froze. Apparently reluctant to look bad in front of his latest meal ticket, however, he recovered and greeted them cordially. Al waved it off.

"No time fer chit chat, amigo. Jist gotta pass on some bad news."

"I'm sorry...what sort of bad news would that be?" Al had to hand it to him, he was good at forcing a smile.

"Falmouth. We's in it. So that means yer not. Kiss yer lady friend goodbye or else take her with ya, but turn around an' git in that there taxi. Holel'll send ya yer stuff, ya call 'em after ya git where yer goin'."

The woman spoke, surprisingly unsurprised. "I'll catch up with you later, Joel." And she disappeared as if by magic.

Joel went beet red and clenched his fists. He was a lot bigger than Al, which might have given him unfortunate ideas. Al was pretty sure the Vor had sent him a clear message never to be caught anywhere near Alyce, and a lot of trouble could have been avoided by simply reminding him of that. But Al wasn't going to let a bunch of mobsters proxy for him. He didn't want this scumbag anywhere near his ladies, and he could handle it himself.

He held up a hidously scarred finger on a hideously scarred left hand.

"Empathy, Joel. Feelin' what others feel. Gon' give ya a chance to try it. Want ya ta have empathy fer what ol' Al feels."

"Listen, get out of my way, you mangy little pip..."

And Al used his right hand to grab the extended finger on his left and snap it backwards with an audible crack, leaving it jutting out from the back of his hand at an uncomfortably unnatural angle.

Poor Grace stifled a shriek and her nails dug into the sleeve of Al's jacket.

Joel's eyes went wide, his mouth silently trying to form a question.

"Ya see Joel," Al said, as he grabbed another of his own fingers and broke that one too, "If you don't have empathy for the way my fingers is feelin', then I'm gon' hafta treat ya ta the first-hand experience - no pun intended."

Al's face was calm, not a trace of pain or distress.

Joel turned and got into the waiting cab. Al used his good right hand to call another. The wide-eyed valet nodded vigorously and set about fetching one.

Al chuckled, but the women were immediately starting to fuss. Before they had time to get bent out of shape, he calmly opened his left hand and the fingers stretched back into their normal positions. "Bones is smart materials. Damned handy - pun intended this time - fer makin' repairs in tight spots. But makes fer a good parlor trick, too." He lowered his voice and winked conspiratorially as their cab pulled up. "Jist don't tell no one ol' Al's secrets, hey ladies?"