Globe Tracers 1: The Case of Thomas Crain

Chapter 26: One Step

Kyle:

A building nearby was actually unoccupied and inside we waited for Xao to come back down. I was certain that if Darius had won their conflict, we would have known.

In time Xao did come down, looking around outside the building, trying to avoid calling attention to himself as a crowd was actually gathering around the wreckage. Jessica waved to him from an open window and he quickly walked over. He walked in through the open door to the open space over a worn-down hardwood floor.

The building itself was basically abandoned, overturned tables and broken windows all around.

Jessica and I both stood there waiting for him. The boy gave us a grin. "Well, that was different, but let's get going right?" he asked.

I shook my head at him. "You think we're not going to ask what happened with Darius?" I asked.

"He won't be a problem anymore."

"So he's dead?" I asked. Xao hesitated, "He's not, is he? What stops him from just coming after us again?"

Xao shook his head. "You didn't see how that fight ended. I'm betting I did brain damage, even tricksters have a hard time remedying that, supposing they try to help him, which they won't without a deal. Trust me, we have years before that boy is back on his feet."

"Yeah and a few years is so long in our lives isn't it?" I asked folding my arms.

"Kyle we're not killers!" Jessica almost shouted at me.

"Not like it's not an option," I pointed out, receiving two glares for the comment. "I'm sorry, I don't like killing any more than either of you, but given what that boy is, is it so hard to imagine he'll be a problem again? All he has to do is practically wave a magic wand and he'll find us again."

Xao shook his head. "Kyle are you really still that afraid of us? Tricksters still scare you that much? I thought we had this out on the ship. Our power is limited just like everyone else."

"Really?" I asked. "Is it so limited? Am I so unjustified in fearing it?" I pointed at a window overlooking our fight. "Look out that window, what do you see?"

"A battlefield I guess. Honestly kinda figured you guys could have handled this with less problems than it looks like you had I'll admit."

"Problems?" I asked. "You have any idea what that is out there? It was a sheer fluke we even survived what happened out there. That's what happens when two people get just whatever they want." I pointed out the window at the corpse of Gregory, which police were currently surrounding. "That child was nearly invincible and the things he could have done with the power Darius gave him... I shudder to think. As bad as that kid was, you think he just started out that twisted in the mind, at TWELVE? That's what happens when you just take and give as you please. You don't have to work for what you get, so when you're evil nothing slows it down, and when you're good, there's no time to think when you've stepped off the path."

"So just an absence of work is evil to you then?" Xao asked. "Should we give up technology altogether then?"

I shook my head. "Technology is what it is. It's not evil, but it shouldn't be used to avoid taking time to think, study and even work. What if I gave a young human child whatever he asked for? I'm sure it would be within my power somehow, but what would that do to him? He would have no concept of patience and would never take the time to think if he even should have certain things. He'll lose any sense of morality and think the world just revolves around him. So now, as you're older, do you really think that if you can just have whatever you want, that somehow the same thing won't happen to you?"