The Shape of Things to Come (Hypernaturals 15)

Party of Five

The next intersection we had with Leon was a total fluke. We headed East, away from the Navajo Nation and toward the next known baby, and stopped for lunch.

We selected a diner. Old school looking place that may have actually been built in the 1950s and forked hard to appear freshly built, all at the same time. It is chrome and linoleum. White and red with black and white, plus dashes of other bright colors. A neon-lit replica jukebox that plays actual records. I wonder where they got those? The place embodied the 1950s view of the space age, complete with pictures of Elvis and Cadillacs with tail fins. Clean, neat, and unlike a 1950s diner, serving New Mexico style Mexican food as well as the more traditional malts, shakes, and burgers.

On the way in, while waiting in the lobby to be seated, there were other pictures, not of Elvis, by the cash register. Weirdly retro self-developing color pictures. The kind from 1990s era Polaroids that are making a comeback for some reason. I do not get that fad. Digital photos are so much better. Even in the low resolution, high contrast graininess of the Polaroid-style picture, it is obvious that one is of Leon. Those kinds of pictures manage to saturate the colors and wash out details of things like faces, all at the same time.

It's Leon.

We know that face well, having studied it closely, looking for family resemblances to Jessica. In the picture, it's a classic party-selfie pose with Leon surrounded by women. The women are all wearing retro diner uniforms. Retro picture, classic pose, retro diner uniforms, in a retro diner serving New Mexico style diner food.

We waited for the hostess to come up to the cash register with questions. Morgan took a picture of the picture with her phone. "He looks happy." She commented.

"He is a brand new male Vampire that gets ladies pregnant, surrounded by ladies. What does he have to be unhappy about?" Denise asked.

"That they are all dressed in the picture? Child support?" I ventured.

"OK. There is that." Denise agreed. "I contacted Olivia. Had her look into Halona. She plays the lottery so we arranged for her to win a small amount. Fifty thousand a year for life. We'll also get some Crew into Gallup and hired at her pediatrician. Get genetic samples and keep an eye on Ajei as she grows up. If she starts showing Vampire traits, we'll know and be ready." Denise said.

"Human/Vampire mix when the human is not from Ninovan and has no Astral genetic influence. This is uncharted territory. Rachel getting some speed early is not shocking. Two Vampires for parents. This combination of genetics is new for us." Jessica said.

"A fertility tidal wave." Denise commented.

"Hi! Table for four?" came the chipper voice of the young lady. One of the women in the picture with Leon. Her name tag said 'Trish'.

"Hi, Trish. Yes. Please." Morgan said. Friendly. Not chipper. Morgan does not do chipper.

As we were seated at a table, Trish asked, "What brings y'all folks here? You hear about our shakes? Best in the state!"

Morgan pulled out her PI ID. "No. Working a case. Chasing down that young man in the picture by the cash register, actually. We did not know he had been here. Totally unexpected. We were stopping in for lunch. Does he work here? Leon?"

Trish raised her eyebrows at that unexpected turn and the ID. "Leon? No. Not any more. Barely worked here more than a week. Our busboy quit, and he needed a job. Just passing through he said. He was a good guy. Hard worker. We would have liked him to stay." Trish said, and her scent said there was a lot more to it than that.

"I see. What was the party for?" Morgan asked.

"Oh, you know. After-hours thing. One of the girl's birthday. Connie. After we closed, we had a party for her. Cake and shakes."