Globe Tracers 1: The Case of Thomas Crain

Chapter 7: Search and Rescue or Not?

Kyle:

When we got back to the Jackson Tower we met Allen on the base floor.

He stood with his hands out in exasperation. Dressed again in his blue denim jacket and jeans I quickly noticed his general appearance. Brown hair, pale skin, fading freckles, and a rather large gut. He looked so utterly normal, the idea that he was supposed to be my "elite" guard... in that moment I labeled him "a" guard. He did have two side arms on his jeans and I did notice a few hunters' knives under the back of his jacket earlier, so at least he was prepared.

"There you are!" he almost shouted. He moved over to the two of us. "Where did you go?!" he exclaimed. He looked around nervously. "I can't... well I guess expressing my anger might stick out a bit, seeing as you both look too young to have been on your own... I suppose it's alright for now, but remember from now on, I have to account for you two." Allen shook his head, even gritting his teeth a little. I wasn't sure what the problem was. Did we not have the right to come and go? "In any case, we still need to address the issue of your daily needs. There is actually a wash facility you can use after dark in this building. We'll see to it that no one notices the water bill. There is also a shower on the second floor. You'll also see drinking fountains just about everywhere around here so water drinking won't be a problem either but..."

"What are we going to eat?" I asked.

"Exactly," the man replied. "You can't just go grocery shopping on your own. On this world, you'd be considered too young to be buying for yourselves. Besides I'm afraid most stores are geared towards those of us of the... taller persuasion."

I grunted, looking around, noticing my three and a half foot height was pretty far from the average tallness around these parts. That wasn't a new factor, but still annoying... especially since it would be true for another century at least. Thinking on things, I wanted to grow up just as bad as I was sure children on this planet did- just in an entirely different and more literal way.

Allen continued, "What's worse, you'll have no means of cooking anything you do get." He chuckled. "I mean you can't just set a fire on the fifth floor and cook up some fish, hey Jess?"

"I guess not," Jessica replied.

"Nothing crazy to say?" Allen asked. Jessica just stared at the picture we had taken from the police station.

"She wanted to go looking for a stray kid and I told her "no". She's not happy about the whole thing." I summarized with a sigh.

She quietly looked to me saying, "I'm sure it's for the best and all." She turned away from me.

"Well..." Allen looked at Jessica for a few moments. "Yeah well, I guess the point of what I was saying is, we're going to have to sneak you guys some cooking stuff. I can't get you a stove up there, but we got some power lines running through so a toaster oven and hot plate should be good. You know how to use those things right Jess? Did you cook when you were here last?"

"Yeah," she said not even turning around.

"Do you cook on your world?"

"No. We had servants cook for us." Jessica shrugged and walked away from Allen and I, sitting down by herself on a couch not far from us. She sat just staring blankly at that picture.

Allen watched her, shaking his head. "Doesn't it matter to you that she's upset?"

I nodded. "Yeah it does, but I can't cater to her every mood." I cared more than he knew. I wanted to make her happy, she was my friend. But I was protecting her.