The Guardian

The Banter

Chapter 9

Itai jolted awake, still in the middle of Bray Creek. Daylight flitted down on him through the gaps of the trees above. His chest heaved, and Itai bit back nausea. The memory of death was fresh in his mind. The blood, the sharp stabs of pain.

And yet, with that gruesome memory came a twinge of excitement. He'd remembered something from that night. A small clue, but it was more than he'd had an hour ago.

He scrambled to his feet and sniffed the air. To his disappointment, nothing stood out against the putrid car exhaust. The scent of blood was gone, and Itai doubted that it had been anything more than another part of his memory. With Bray Creek crossed off of the list, there were no other clues to investigate.

His excitement wore off quickly. So, he'd been killed. What else was new? There was nothing else to follow. He had a job to do, anyway.

With less enthusiasm than before, Itai returned to the safe house with its crowded main room and the eccentric spirits that resided there. Booth keepers called to him from the left, some in English, but mostly in languages that Itai didn't understand. He saw shelves of practical hats next to cabinets of flashy guns, and then books stacked next to retractable swords. Clearly, this was a safe house for killers and intellects. There were very few in between.

Before Itai could reach the stairs, the young key-keeper named David called out to him. "Itai Kohin? Travis came by for you about twenty minutes ago," he said. "Told me to give you this note." He handed over a torn piece of notebook paper.

"Training at the Rec tomorrow at 9," it read. "Bring your weapon of choice. In the meantime, keep an eye on Arden. Tori is worried now that the ghoul is on the loose again.

P.S., find a phone. Getting all these messages to you is annoying. –T "

Itai tossed the note into a nearby trashcan. "Thanks," he said to David, whom was already back to sorting his keys. God, he wasn't allowed to get even an hour of sleep with this gig. Not that he needed it anymore.

He needed to find a weapon before tomorrow. That shouldn't be too hard with the booths' endless options. His last gun was long gone, forgotten in the field that Shruti had transported him to. Itai felt nauseous just thinking about it.

A child broke through the swarm of people around the booths, hugging a stack of papers to her chest. She ran to Itai, her big eyes smiling up at him, and handed him a flyer. With a swish of pigtails the girl was gone.

Itai looked down at the paper. It was thin, almost transparent. "The Banter" was printed on it in intricate swirls of green ink. If Itai squinted, he could see words printed in white ink, only visible when he ran his finger along the back of the paper. It was advertised as a steampunk-themed shop, offering quick fixes and hand-made equipment, among other things.

He spotted the store a few booths down and made his way towards it, compelled by the interesting flyer and unusual theme. Unlike many of the other booths, the shop had walls and a sturdy roof with a wide doorframe as the entrance. A few customers trailed outside of The Banter, dressed in attention-grabbing steampunk style clothing. One man's feathered hat reached out long enough to catch on the hair that hung down to Itai's shoulders.

Once he was inside Itai allowed his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. Blacklights hung overhead, casting an alluring light over the shop. The air smelt faintly of gas lamps and lemon. Glass cases were propped against the walls, each containing a weapon or equipment with elaborate gears and chains. It was like an entirely different world.

Itai liked it instantly.

One of the cases in particular caught his eye. A bronze gun was on the middle shelf, its impressively flashy holster beside it. The gun itself was elegant and gave off vintage vibes, with a mahogany grip and brass detailing. A clear tube that was attached to side of the gun glowed under the black light. The holster had chains and gears strung all over it in a pattern that made no sense to Itai.