The Curious Case of the Two Dirk Gentlys

40: America

Farah's reply came through without question or elaboration, just one word on the screen.

'Yes'.

Svald smiled. Another theory proven through the power of the universe and technology. Oh how wonderfully they seemed to join. He clicked Farah's contact picture once more. They'd gone through the trial run, now for the real thing.

"Wait." Said Victoria.

"Yes?" Sighed Svald. He was beginning to think people were stalling deliberately.

"What about Albert?" She asked.

"What about Albert?" He scowled.

"Well he can't teleport himself and he's far too young to be out in open all by himself." She reminded him. Svald looked down at little Albert. Having become bored of his guardian's rambling he chased a white butterfly around the ash filled hole that had been their fire. Victoria was right of course, as good parents often are about their children. Throughout all of his antics Albert had never moved an inch. Robert leaving him in his high chair had been bad enough but at least that had been an accident and he'd been relatively safe in his home. Here he was exposed. Anything could happen.

"Fine. Someone will have to stay." Said Svald.

"I can look after him. I've been fending off Blackwing since I was a child. I can protect Albert." Said Dirk..

"Nonsense. We're trying to get you back to America and to the other projects. We can only hope that the universe will pick up on you being together and pull a miracle out of its ass." Said Svald.

"Then I'll stay." Said Richard. "I'm a skinny Scottish guy with no universe given powers and no large scale significance. When they chase you they'll likely forget about me." He explained.

"And how will you defend him if they don't?" Svald asked.

"Neither of you are staying. I'm staying." Victoria snapped.

"Victoria?" Asked Dirk nervously.

"I'm his mother. I should be the one to protect him." She justified.

"You'll be all by yourself." Dirk told her.

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"And if they get you? You're just another project to them. They'll drag you back, they'll lock you away. They've already done it to me."

"Then I'll be imprisoned." She replied, picking Albert up and holding him close. "But I'll fight to be imprisoned with my son."

"Very well, Victoria." Svald nodded. "If that's what you wish."

"It is." She said firmly.

"Albert, do you know what you need to do?" He asked softly.

"Ahuh." Albert replied enthusiastically.

"You're a good boy, Albert." He smiled before handing Dirk's phone to Victoria. "Keep this picture on the screen. Try and keep him focused on it if you can."

"Neither of you are getting this back." She laughed.

"I'm sure we can live with that. Right, Dirk?"

"Of course." Dirk nodded.

"Right. After you, Richard. Anythinh you want to say before you go?"

"If I die, I'm blaming you." He smiled and with a grab of Albert's tiny hand he was gone.

"Who's next? You I suppose. Try not to wander off when you get to the other side." Said Svald, pushing Dirk forward.

"Wait." Said Dirk, grabbing Svald's arm. "What's the point of running away if the one being hunted is the one who gets left behind?"

"I asked myself that question once. It's best not to think about it too hard." Svald smiled sadly. Dirk nodded and smiled at Victoria. She smiled back, a small, pained smile, just like the one she had shown him the last time they parted ways. That night on the hillside he thought he'd never see her again. He'd been wrong once before, he could be wrong again. He'd been wrong about so many things lately. Maybe the universe would let him be wrong one more time. Maybe it would let him and his new runaway group help her from a distance, close the case all the way across the ocean. Then again probably not. They'd probably end up the way they were, running in opposite directions from Blackwing, or like everyone else they smiled at with fear and joy on the hilltop that night. All the cases left open, all threads left untied, all connections severed. What could he say? The universe was cruel sometimes.