Passing each couple's suite in the house, she was so glad that Big Mike had insisted on soundproofing. Marlene kept her pace swift as she rounded the grand, sweeping staircase that led to the first floor. Yeah . . . leave it to the audio-sensor to point out that critical detail. This way every couple had their own bedroom, mini-living room, and master bathroom where they could argue at the tops of their lungs . . . or do whatever else, and now the added complexity of little ears didn't have to be in grown folks' business.
As she crossed the expansive dining room, she thought back on the early years, when she and Shabazz were first scuffling. When they had noresources, and vampires were hunting them, rather than the other way around. Thought back on the blessing of a brainstorm that she was sure an angel of inspiration whispered in her ear. That became the Warriors of Light. From there, she and Shabazz built a small citadel, the first compound. And one by one new Guardians running for their lives got brought in and schooled. Not so surprisingly, each one had a skill that could be used in the new record label-not surprising because all of this was divinely orchestrated. Rider was next in, after her and Shabazz, and then came Mike.The old heads. After that wasTara , by extension to Rider . . . and then poor Jose, searching for his mentor, Jack to Rider, who he thought was dead.The good old days.Uncomplicated days. Now this was akin to a hot mess.
Seeing Jack Rider hunched over a to-go cup of coffee broke her reverie. She stared at his rumpled white T-shirt and the way his shoulders slowly expanded and contracted. The poor man was asleep at the kitchen counter, and only the pitch of his elbows against the tiles held him upright. His gray sweats looked like he'd snatched on his clothes in a hurry. His hair was jagged spikes all over his head. He was barefoot. But she did notice that he'd gone out and gotten a paper. He'd even left the TV on in the other room, and the too-cheerful melody of cartoons filtered in with the dawn. The whole scene became suddenly surreal.
But given the very long status of their friendship, she didn't directly rouse him. She decided to treat him the way she did Shabazz when she wanted him to wake up so they could talk about a difficult subject. Marlene banged the kettle, so-called making tea.
"Whoa!" Rider was up, off the stool, grabbing a bunch of fabric at his hip.
"Mornin', partner," Marlene said with a mischievous smile. "I hope you left your gun in the holster upstairs, because it's a little early in the morning to be shooting up the joint."
Rider wiped his palms down his face and sat back down with a thud. "Mornin', Mar. Damn, that was a heart jolt."
"Better than caffeine."She chuckled, he slurped his coffee. "Whatchu doing up at no o'clock in the morning after a Jack Daniel's kinda night, man?"
"Couldn't sleep."
Marlene filled the tea kettle. "Oh, so it's going to be that type of conversation. Why don't I just put on some music so we can dance?"
Rider closed his eyes and slurped more coffee. "It would be so much easier if you just went in and took whatever you wanna ask me from my already jellied mind, darlin'. C'mon, Mar. Can't a man have a cup of coffee in peace? I'm already babysitting, for chrissakes-trying to do the right thing."
"Babysitting?" Marlene set the kettle on the stove and flipped on a burner.
He indicated with his chin toward the family room. "I needed some air. Got up and went to get a morning paper and a real cup of coffee that only a diner can make. Don't worry, although I didn't have a gun I was in a bad enough mood to smoke a daywalker solo, all right. Anyway, when I came home, that little bird in there was wandering the halls looking for somebody to help her with the TV. Said, and I quote, 'Nana said she was too tired and to go ask Mommy.' Problem was,Nana didn't tell the baby where her mommy's room was. So she's aimlessly wandering the halls . . . and I scooped her up before she could get a real serious education."
"Oh, Lawdy B!"Marlene said, closing her eyes and holding onto the edge of the sink. "We're gonna have to set up some whole new house rules, gonna have to tell folks to lock their doors . . ."
"Uh-huh," Rider said through a loud slurp. "This had been a grown-folks-only establishment since the beginning. None of us would dare to just wander into a room unannounced, especially after post-battle adrenaline is-"
"I know, I know, I know," Marlene said quickly, cutting him off as she waved her hands. "Jesus."
"But the kid can see, Mar," he said, taking his cup down from his mouth slowly. "She was walking with her hands out as though she was feeling energy patterns . . . had her cute little lip poked out looking for her mommy and Daddy Mike. So I let her wander a bit, just to see, ya know?"
Marlene came closer to him, awed. "Did she figure it out? Did she know?" she asked excitedly.
"Get this," he said, leaning back on his stool. "Not only did she guess the room, but caught me in a lie."
"What?" Marlene whispered.
"Man, it was the freakiest thing to see in a kid that young . . . but she found the right door and smiled this smile that just wrapped me all around her little finger and pointed. I nodded that she was right, but told her Mommy and Daddy Mike were asleep, so I'd get her some cereal and would put on the cartoons."
Marlene hugged herself, listening to Rider's account of the child's gifts with wide eyes.
"Then she told me, no, Mr. Jack-Mommy's not asleep. She's awake . . . but is making a funny sound like she's hurt."
Marlene cupped her hand over her mouth as Rider began to laugh.
"So I said, aw, little lady, your mommy's just snoring, that's all, let's go get some cereal."
"Oh, my God . . ."
"Oh, it gets better, Mar. You'd better have a seat."
He waited for dramatic effect, and Marlene obliged him, pulling out a stool and half-sitting, half-leaning against it for support.
"The kid shook her head and tugged on my arm.Told me to get my gun, because her mommy must be hurt." He smiled wider when Marlene closed her eyes. "I said, howcan you be sure-since you know I'm testing for multiple gifts here, Marlene, wondering if the kid has super hearing or something. Know what she tells me?"
"I am afraid to ask."