Broken People (Serial)

Thirty-Five

"You said it would work," Dale was saying as Aurore and Cielo returned to the factory.

The shorter blonde shuffled quietly out of the way. The taller one stood behind and removed her cape, remaining in a pair of skinny, black pants, ankle boots, and a white shirt that revealed an off-the-shoulder red top hidden underneath. She must have already had the pants on under the long, evening dress, but where she had kept the shirt, Dale had no idea.

"What isn't working?" Aurore placed her cape on an empty chair.

Spinner swallowed under her piercing gaze. "The grafting. It took, but ... umm ... the work he's had done didn't respect any known standards and reacted badly to our interference. We kind of ruined his legs in the process."

"He won't be able to move as well as we anticipated," Rake said and put away his tools.

"He won't be able to walk at all." Spinner let his head fall on the recently repaired arm.

Dale's fists clenched at his sides, but Rake and Cielo stared at Aurore as if she were the client. In a way, she was.

"Well, don't look at me," Aurore said. "It's not my problem."

"It's someone's problem," Dale said. No walking meant no hands, and no hands made the access to the vault impossible. "You said you can help with transportation."

The silence that followed weighed heavily on them. Rake produced a knife from inside his sleeve and turned it around his fingers while he stood there with his shoulder propped against the wall. So, this was how it was going to work. They didn't want any trouble despite their failure to deliver the promised service. Dale wasn't thinking about retribution ... yet. He had other, more urgent matters on his mind.

"While you come up with a solution," Aurore said, "who's going to give me a full check-up?" She stepped into the other room without waiting for an answer.

The knife throwers locked eyes and, after a long moment, Rake pulled away from the wall and went after her. Cielo stayed put.

"Any problems lately?" Rake's distant voice came through the open door.

"Just tonight," Aurore said. "There was interference ..."

Dale moved two steps to the left so he could see, too. Rake had placed Aurore's leg inside a machine that displayed the scan's result on a screen. There was no need for her to undress or have her prosthetics open.

Convinced she didn't need his protection while in there, Dale turned to Spinner. "What are our options?" There had to be a way.

"I ..." Spinner closed his mouth. "We could—" He tried again but stopped and tilted his head.

The main door opened, and Renard stumbled inside, supported by the Swan. He collapsed in the closest chair, pale and shivering, but fully alert.

The Swan kneeled by the magician's side. "Nick, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Anya. I'm fine," Renard said. "Just give me a moment to catch my breath ... Apparently, this circus owner is a light drinker, or at least that is what everyone in town has heard by now." He laughed.

Cielo and Anya fawned over him, and he grimaced and grumbled under their attentions until Cielo grabbed a syringe and injected him. Renard's tremors slowly subsided.

"I heard we have a new gig," Spinner said. "Do we?"

"It looks like it." Renard nodded. "I kept saying 'no', but Ternchiev twisted my arm in the end. I don't fancy a whole week in jail for destroying public property, do you?"