Pretty Boy Psycho

Today I nominated myself to check in at Cloudy HQ to see if there’s a job for our team to do. Sunshine’s not supposed to come into the building with me but there was no time to stop him. Before I closed the door he half nudged himself through. Logistics members who pass me in corridors are unimpressed. We get real dirty looks on our way to the office where job specifications are stored. The clerical crowd have nothing but smiles. I’m on the corridor by Courtney’s office and the receptionist called Penelope comes directly over to me.

“This must be Sunshine. Wow. Did you really finish a B-grade job?”

“Totes yeah.” It was a shambles but we got the job done and Geordie is making like we went into camp real smooth and out without problems.

“A lot of the girls on clerical are all for Geordie but I like you best Corey. It’s still all about Cain mind, and Ashley is turning a few heads.”

“Five days,” shouts Jordan from within a study room. “I’m out the country for five days and you’re dolling out B-grade jobs trying to get them killed.”

“All field agents run the risk of being killed,” snaps Hanna.

“Not at high risk level. You’re supposed to let new teams work their way up so they get experience.”

“Look they’re two years in. Not my fault they weren’t at Cloud High for those two years. You need to stop shielding them and concentrate on your own team. Perhaps you ought to reread your Cloudy Handbook.”

“I brought Corey here.”

“Cain found him and you don’t see him in here shooting his mouth off. I’ll give Team Geordie whatever assignments we feel fit. We must concentrate on the full picture not tiptoe round dead weight.”

What a fierce exchange. I press my back up against the job assignment office door as Jordan makes for the HQ exit. I’ve never seen him lose his temper before; always seems shy.

“Don’t worry about my team,” I say to Jordan who rages by without seeing me. “Focus on yours.”

Jordan doubles back. “Oh, you heard that?”

“You were shouting.”

“Living in the wild. Setting camps on fire. You’ll be killed.”

“Later rather than sooner. Geordie was amazing at setting tents on fire. He really does keep us safe.” I lower my tone. “Besides we want as many high grade jobs as they’ll give us.”

“Being a field agent isn’t a game.”

“It is. We’ll survive. You do trust me?”

“Yeah but that doesn’t stop me worrying. Captain Yuki hasn’t forgotten about you despite you keeping a low profile. Be careful she’s yeah...” Jordan carries on his way and I carry on mine. Sunshine stands on the spot blinking after Jordan; doesn’t move till the guy’s out of sight.

At home I sit out on the veranda thinking about that look Sunshine gave Jordan. Something’s wrong. No idea what. Our assignment sits in my lap. Geordie’s soon to snap it up.

“Boring a perimeter check round Lundune this evening.”

A C-grade job. I don’t fancy flying round Lundune checking Thunders and other gang members aren’t bothering regular city dwellers. At least we could use the area to our advantage. “If we want to take down Captain Yuki Lundune is the place to be.”

“Come again?”

“The Plaza that’s their base.”

“We can’t just fly onto the Plaza, that would be suicide. Even Cain won’t venture there unless absolutely necessary and he’d go under-cover.”

“So we sit waiting round for logistics to come up with a plan like everyone else while Yuki destroys peoples’ lives?”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“She’s done something bad to Jordan. I saw him this morning. When I mentioned Yuki, his voice went weird then he trailed off and left without saying goodbye. Sunshine was most concerned.”

“Forget about him. He trained us we’re done. You’ve no need to feel like you owe him a single thing. More fool him for bothering with us.”

“I don’t like this Cloudy game. I’m not playing. We have a house. Can’t we ditch Cloud Association?”

“We need the commission. Cloudy information is vital for tracking down Yuki.”

“It isn’t. We’ll find her at The Plaza and I’m sure there are other jobs we can do to sustain ourselves.”

“How many times? We’re in the bloody system,” Geordie shouts at me. “You’re the one who wanted to be a Cloudy field agent in the first place. You thought buying us a house would exempt us; was that your plan? Then you’re a delluded brat. I wish you’d wake up from your optimism and get into your ditzy head that this is it.” Geordie waves our assignment at me. “Where are you going?”

I go into the house. Grab a rucksack. Fill it with the remaining food in our cupboards then go back outside.

“I asked you a question.”

“I’ll see you for our assignment. I’m sticking with my ditzy daydreams thank you very much.”

As I ride Sunshine to Lundune I think on what Geordie yelled at me, trying to understand my optimism from his perspective. We’re so fortunate getting to fly in pure sunlight. At least he made me realise I’ve slipped away from the main reason Master Hugo saw me as field agent in the first place. Being a field agent has to be all about helping those who can’t fly in sunlight or afford safe houses for their families. I know the perfect place to start helping, Hackney. If I go there perhaps I’ll gain an understanding of Geordie’s attitude problem. It must have stemmed from somewhere. I guess an alcoholic father played a key role.

Hackney wow it’s bleak. Tumbling tower blocks surround the place. Do people live in those places? Right now I spot a brick break off a tower and crash to the ground. Could have hit someone on the head.

“Sunshine, I think you should stay out of sight in the sky,” I muster as eyes from underneath faded yellow hoods glare at us from over by a rusty half gone phone box.

Sunshine nips my thumb as though to say: please be careful. As soon as Sunshine is gone the yellow hoods group closer together as they move over to me. Okay this looks dodgy. I give them a smile hoping to show them I mean no harm.

“What’s it doing Frisk?” says a gritty voice.

“Think that’s called smiling.”

“Don’t think I ever seen a proper smile before.”

“Never seeing a smile before that’s sad,” I say.

“Sad, yes we see a lot of sad things.” Frisk steps up real close to me. “Ya were with a grey griffon meaning ya must be Corey West. A sad time for ya. We’re Cheetahs. Have ya heard a us?”

I shake my head.

“Pity when we know so much about your sweet self. Us Cheetahs pride ourselves in being the fastest gang in Hackney. We’re Hackney’s eyes and ears despite what our rival gang, the Black Cloaks boast, and we despise sweet things like yourself. That’s the simple way a explainin’ us. What brings ya to our patch?”

I keep up the smile. “My own personal relief work. Are you hungry? I have food.”

“We don’t accept charity.” Frisk pounds her fist into my cheek, while her associate snatches my rucksack. “We take what we like.”

Gangland indeed. I hold a hand against my reddening cheek. Frisk takes a bite of raw carrot then throws the rucksack at fellow gang members.

“Good ya quit smilin’.”

I tilt my head to one side playing cute. “Please don’t bully me it’s not very nice especially when I’m new to the area.”

“Seriously?” Frisk slips a dagger underneath the left side of my hair and lifts up some strands.

I sneak a switchblade up against her ropey stomach. She’s friendlier than she looks having only taken a carrot for herself; is letting her gang mates have the lot. “I want some understanding of what life in Hackney is like. I don’t suppose you could show me round? I can give you my jacket in return. It will match your cloak.”

Frisk slides her dagger onto the sleeve of my favourite yellow jacket. Would be a shame to lose it but I suppose I might be able to pick up another.

“If I want ya jacket I will take it. What did ya wanna see exactly?” Frisk nods at the towers. “Ya can see everythin’ from where you’re stood.”

“Buildings yes, people no.”

“Why would ya wanna get involved with scum round here? Ain’t ya supposed to be up there keepin’ out Thunders?”

“I think it is important to know who I am protecting.”

“Cloud recruitment take bright kids who are healthy, glowing, from places like Hackney to be educated. Healthies like you, Geordie and Danny, get to escape then think you’re doing the rest a us a favour flying round guarding us from Thunders. Lucky us being protected by Healthies from above.” Frisk spits at me, catching my red cheek. Ew ew ew.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to offend you.” I bob my head at Frisk. “I think I can manage exploring Hackney without a guide.”

Without turning my back to Frisk I try to get away from her gang. I doubt anyone can be trusted round here. Oh gosh they’re following me. They run. I turn and run too. Crap crap, and double crap. Yellow cloaks fly behind me. Four become six then six turn to twelve. Twelve ends up as sixteen. Every street I pass more Cheetahs turn up until I’m surrounded.

“I told you we’re the eyes and ears on the ground.” Frisk strides over to me, as several of her gang members block off my last escape route. “Call that griffon a yours and we’ll kill him before he touches ground. Ya shouldn’t have landed here. We don’t want protectin’ from Thunders. We’re happy to make deals with ’em if the price is right. What price will your pretty little head fetch?”

I’ve gotten myself into a tight fix here. Even if I tried to slice my way out it’d be no use because I’m totes out numbered. Charlie did used to say the spoken word was more effective than the sword. Time to put his old theory to the test.

“Maybe we could help each other out somehow.” Frisk pats me down, searching for concealed weapons. “A couple of months with a few coins won’t solve all the other months, years, decades, centuries.”

“How do ya s’ppose we solve ’em?” Frisk finds my short sword and unstraps it from my leg. One of her comrade’s hands her over my switchblades.

“Team up with me and...” And what am I saying? These people are gang members. “And we’re living under the same barrier. I may have wings but can’t stay above cloud forever. No one can. Every year those clouds get closer and greyer. Our problems are vaster than Thunders.”

“Ya ain’t answered my question.”

“There must be somewhere brighter out there. I refuse to believe this is it.” I point at the clouds. “There must be a way to get rid of them.”

Frisk laughs. “You’re a real optimist ain’t ya?”

I tuck my hair behind my ears. “I try my best.”

Frisk pushes the switch on one of my blades. “Ya can’t quit the environment. Many of my bros and sisters have the affliction. There’s no helpin’ ’em. I’ll take the bounty reward. Even if there was visible sunshine the world wouldn’t let ya live off it.”

A blunt object makes contact with my head. When I come round it’s dark as dark can be. I’m unable to move my limbs. I’ve got this horrid feeling I’m locked in a cellar or maybe it’s a dungeon.

Here come the tight breaths. I close my eyes. Try to breathe. Breathe calmly and think through where I’m at and how to... how to what? There’s no escape. I am tied up in the dark.

Right how long have I been here? I was supposed to be meeting my team for our patrol of Lundune. Geordie’s going to be super pissed at me if I’ve missed our assignment. How do I get myself into these predicaments? That question is easy to answer. I rush round trying to see the good in everyone. Jess used to warn me to stay out of her cousin’s way. Trendy haircuts, friendly nudges, and plentiful compliments don’t make a person good. Geordie warned me we’d be stuck in a system unable to get out. Did I listen? No. Thought it’d be cool to work for Cloud Association. We could have been long gone living away from all this if I’d listened. I never take heed of warnings so end up in these nasty predicaments. Here I am tied up finally understanding my lesson.

This is it.

Geordie’s not being a pessimist. He’s a realist.

“Hey.” A piece of metal jabs my foot, making my toes curl up. Ot-oh someone made off with my boots.

“You’ve been stupid coming into Hackney looking pretty. Pretty boys get raped round here.” The metal jabs my foot a second time.

“Who’s there?”

“A friend. General Midnight is coming for you. Get out of Hackney.”

One last jab and he’s gone. I un-curl my toes; stretch them, feel my switchblade against the tips of my toes. I turn my body round so my wrists rest on the blade. Rub rope against that blade until the rope splits, then I set to work on my ankles. Once free I shuffle backwards. My palm presses against my short sword. I pat round the floor. Find my second switchblade and whoa a key. Shuffling some more my back comes into contact with a barred cell door. Who has helped me is a mystery. No time to ponder. This time I listen. Will get myself out of Hackney.

Holding onto the cell door I guide myself to my feet. Feel round till I come across a lock. Click. The key fits. I swing open the door wondering which way is out. My eyes aren’t adjusting to the dark which might have something to do with the thumping bump on my head. I don’t need to be able to see properly. Just keep walking till I hit a wall, or go up some stairs, or fall into furniture.

I never get to bump into any furniture. End up coming to a dead stop, half way up the cellar stairs, with a hand clasped round my mouth on hearing a distinct voice full of melancholy.

“Corey West is of no use to me. Any one Cain Dacota finds appealing is displeasing. His griffon would be a worthier prize. Have you his griffon?”

“I saw it for a moment. Didn’t seem too impressive to me, Midnight, if ya don’t mind my sayin’,” says Frisk; who is holding a flaming torch.

“Grey griffons are incredibly rare. Some believe they are what is created when a skeletal and griffon mate. I doubt these findings myself but would still like to explore the possibility.”

Midnight. Here. Whoa.

“Ya will give me the bounty for Corey West won’t ya?”

General Midnight closes her eyes and opens them as though doing a slow motion blink. “I am only interested in Lucky.”

“Surely you’d welcome vengeance for Sad by gettin’ hold a the fucker who killed him?”

Midnight closes her eyes. “I expect Corey was only able to stab Sad successfully due to Lucky’s luck. On reflection I could use Corey to lure Lucky to me.” Her eyes open. “Yes, you may have your bounty.”

What time is it? If Geordie is patrolling Hackney he could get into a heap of trouble. I need to get out of this place fast to warn him Midnight is lurking. How? By doing what I’m best at. I won’t get caught this time.

I creep by Midnight and Frisk. Midnight sure hears me. As she turns on me I burst into a sprint, narrowly missing being grabbed. Swish, out come the switchblades just in case.

“Beware Cloudy,” Midnight calls as she chases after me.

Being chased by General Midnight up a Hackney tower block is one of the surrealist moments of my life and that says a lot seen as my life so far hasn’t been exactly straight paced.

Glad I’m quick on my feet. I’m always a few stairs ahead of Midnight. So many floors. Manage to reach the top floor. My eyes skirt round the ceiling in search of an escape route. An opening! I dart through what used to be a fire escape door, onto a metal gridded platform complete with slim rusty steps. I climb them and pull myself onto the top of the roof. Sooo high up. No time to take in the view. General Midnight is right behind me. I run along the roof doing my best to avoid loose tiles which is difficult when most of them wobble in the wind. Clatter there goes a tile. Three skeletals swoop round the roof going around and around in circles. Of course they’re here. Midnight wouldn’t visit Hackney without protection.

A crowd gathers on the ground. I’ve come to the edge of the roof. Midnight closes in on me. Nowhere to run. Jumping to the next roof would be suicide.

The crowd gaze up at me in alarm.

Midnight grins into a moonblade as she gets closer. “Where’s your griffon Cloudy?” Grey boots with black threaded patterns take slow measured steps.

Sunshine’s safe which is what matters. If I die it’s no great loss. I turn my back on Midnight. Take a dive at the crowd. The only plan I have is to hope some people will break my fall. ZWOOOO is all I hear until smack, I land right on top of a man. I landed too directly on him. He’s on his back. A hand clutches my arm as though he was trying to catch me.

“Corey West?” His breath is clouded with fumes. Vodka perhaps.

“Yeah.”

His grip tightens on my arm. “How is Geordie?”

Hackney. Alcohol. Geordie. This must be Jim Henley. Maybe he really was trying to catch me. “He was fine, in Geordie fashion, this morning.”

Jim laughs as though he knows what I mean by, in Geordie fashion, as he pushes me off him. He keeps hold of my arm, tugging, wanting me to get up.

“You can’t escape. Run but you’re not getting out of Hackney alive. No one evades me,” Midnight bellows from the roof.

“Come on. Quickly.” Jim’s off on his way still holding onto me. I nearly fall flat on my face. Only just manage to scramble to my feet before my arm gets yanked out the socket.

Jim pushes his way through the crowd. Even turns to smack someone in the mouth when they make a grab for me. Most people move aside to let us through.

“Danny’s good to yeah? Didn’t get afflicted? I was dead worried that’d happen.”

“Yeah Danny’s alright too.”

We get to the edge of the crowd. Run into an unstable tower block. Go through creaking darkness until we come out of a hole on the other side, and straight onto the next tower block.

“Careful. ’Tis a jungle round here.” Jim ducks under a metal beam. He doesn’t seem drunk. I suppose when you rely on alcohol to get you through the day a tolerance must build up. Must take a lot of voddy to make Jim fall over.

“Where are we going Mister Henley?”

“Gettin’ ya outta Hackney ‘course. Not getting’ outta Hackney alive. That woman’s over-dramatic eh?”

“Dramatic, scary, and powerful.”

“Heh I ain’t scared a no Thunders. ’Tis those Cheetahs ya wanna watch out for. Don’t get yourself mixed up with gangs. Nah I lied Corey lad. I was scared when I heard Sad got hold a Geordie.” Jim stops dead in his tracks as he lets go of my arm. “They threatened my kid. If rumours be right you saved him.”

“That seemed like a long time ago.”

“Hardly. You have my thanks. Settles my mind knowing he’s got friends like you lookin’ out for him. Now gettin’ ya back to your headquarters safe will be a tall order. What were ya doin’ round these parts? Were ya on a patrol?”

“I’m supposed to be. I came here because,” I lean into a steal beam, “I wanted to help those less fortunate. Prove to myself being stuck in the Cloudy system and living with grey clouds wasn’t it, that there was something more. I was wrong.”

“Who told ya you were wrong?”

“Practically everyone.”

Jim tsks. “Maybe everyone else ain’t lookin’ hard enough.”

“I’m not so sure any more.”

“Just ’cause summat is invisible don’t mean it ain’t there. Ya can’t physically see kindness, heroism, cruelty, or goodness, or badness but it follows folk around. Radiates off some. Ya gotta stand and fight for what’s important to ya which is why I sent Geordie away. Knew he’d make a better life for himself away from this place. A son shouldn’t have to clean up after his dad’s alcoholism. Does generosity still radiate from him?”

“In everything he does. Only his close friends see it.”

Fight for what’s important to me. Tonight, General Midnight is plotting to get hold of Geordie and Sunshine. She wants to hurt the two most important aspects of my life. No way. I can’t stand round waiting for something bad to happen to our team. No one ever tackles Midnight head on. We need to step out of the sunlight. Show her we’re here and unafraid.

Before I make a move an almighty roar shakes the tower block. Knowing that roar all too well I run out the tower where I find Chunk going ballistic, flapping his wings while pulling up the pavement and making the loudest noise ever.

“Hey Chunk. Where’s Geordie?”

In answer Chunk jumps up and down, making a crater in the pavement. No way. Some Thunders must have got him while he was on his patrol which would be more than plausible if he had chosen to take the Hackney patch. I hold up my arms. “Whoa Chunk. Calm down.”

“What is that?” gasps Jim as he joins me outside.

“My ride.” I haven’t the heart to tell him his son has probably been snatched by Thunders to be experimented on. I must keep my head. Figure out what to do.

“Please be calmer and I’ll help you. Please ssshhhh.”

“Figure out what?” says Jim.

Chunk lowers his wings however keeps tearing at the pavement. I think this is the best I’m going to get. Cautiously I place a hand against his side, take a breath, then fling myself on. “Take me to Charlie.”

“Summat bad’s happened ain’t it?”

“Probably but I’m going to make it right,” I shriek as Chunk thrusts us into the sky.

Chunk’s hard to fly. I grasp a fistful of his feathers, struggling to keep balanced. Our flight is over in a couple of minutes. I see Hotaru flying over Trafalgar Square. “Charliiieee!!!” My calm is lost. Chunk makes a beeline for Hotaru; pretty much knocks him out the sky. We land in a tangled mess on Trafalgar Square.

“What in blue skies?” Charlie rolls away from the jumble of griffon. “Al, are you alright? You’ve been gone hours. We’ve been getting worried.”

“Was Geordie patrolling round Hackney?”

“Yes. What’s happened to you?”

My worst fears are alive. “General Midnight was in Hackney tonight. Chunk came to find me without Geordie,” I burst out.

“How do you know Midnight was in Hackney?”

“Because she was chasing me. Before that she was telling some Cheetah member how she wanted to experiment on Geordie; now he’s gone.”

“Right.” Charlie perches on the edge of the square. The way he’s sitting it’s as though he’s in meditation.

This is no time to sit round breathing. I can’t. Think I’m working myself into a panic attack. “We have to get him back!”

“I know.” Charlie threads his fingers through some of Hotaru’s feathers. “We’re going to fetch Danny.” He sounds like his old rational self, before he got his facial scar. “You and Danny are going to fly home. I’ll carry onto headquarters where I will report this incident to General Courtney.”

“I can’t sit waiting.”

“And I won’t storm The Plaza on a whim. If you want to see Geordie again we need a water tight plan with no chance of leakages. Logistics can help us with that. We need to see if we can get their help. Agreed?”

I manage a nod. Try my hardest to prevent panic taking over. Get on Chunk to do what needs doing.