Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

B2: Chapter 2 - The Goddess of Kent - II

  Hailey groaned at the second knock on the door. "Is it that late already?"

  Rupert leaned up to check the clock on the wall, squinting to see the hands in the semi-darkness. "It's eight PM. Weren't you planning to leave now?"

  "But it's so warm and comfortable in here," Hailey mock-whined, wrapping an arm around him.

  Rupert pushed her gently away. "Jessica would take my head, angel. Up you get."

  Hailey groaned again, more for effect than because she actually felt any reluctance, and set to finding her clothes. Jessica Silverdale burst into the room, too impatient to wait any longer. Rupert—bashful around every single person he'd ever met—grabbed up the sheets to cover himself, but Jessica barely even glanced at him. She eyed Hailey with annoyance, pointing at the faintly glowing hands of the clock on the wall.

  "Yes, Jess, I can see it," Hailey said irritably, nodding. She started getting dressed while Jessica tapped her foot pointedly on the floor. "I can always just fly us there faster, we'd still get there at the same time."

  "Why don't you, then?" asked Rupert.

  "Because then Jess couldn't keep us hidden," she sighed.

  "Ah. Something to do with light and photons, correct?"

  "Yeah, pretty much. She figured it out after watching Cinza a ton, but I can't cast it thanks to my stupid diffinity." Hailey finished getting ready, and before she could say a word Jessica grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out of the room. "See you later, Rupert!" she called back apologetically.

  Jessica pulled the door closed and frowned. She pointed at the door, then made a flat illusion in midair of Rupert, accompanying it with a picture of a small chain. The chain broke in two, then Jessica dissipated them again.

  Hailey shook her head. "I trust him."

  Jessica frowned again. She tilted her head slightly to the side and raised an eyebrow.

  "Yes, I'm sure." Hailey pointed back at Jessica. "What about you?"

  Jessica took a full minute to answer. Finally, another image of Rupert appeared in midair, followed by one of Hailey. Jessica moved Rupert closer to her, then changed her to a smiling face, before vanishing them both again. She smiled reluctantly.

  Hailey nodded. "Yeah. That's enough for now. Thank you." She held out her arm, and Jessica took it firmly. They walked together to the backyard, where Jessica helped her put on the rest of her flight outfit including the straps. Normally, they flew without anything since it was a lot more comfortable, but this was a long trip—nearly seventy miles. Even Jessica, as strong and experienced as she was flying with Hailey, started to have her shoulders fall off after that long.

  Jessica held herself tight to Hailey and double-checked the straps. She tapped Hailey on the shoulder twice and Hailey took off, jumping into the sky by propelling the air around her. Once she'd gotten enough altitude, she released the jets of wind to great relief and unfurled her wings, gliding out into the cloudy night sky. The patch of stars she'd seen the night before with Rupert was a rare exception. Most of her flights these days seemed to match the attitudes of everyone else around her, covered in a unbroken sheet of mundane grey. There weren't even any beautiful cloudscapes to enjoy, just endless carpets of flat boring clouds.

  "You know, we're crazy lucky he turned out to be a cool guy," Hailey added. She couldn't make any gestures to really talk to her, but Jessica had intimated that she should talk aloud while they flew this route every time. Partly, Jessica thought it might help her learn to talk again somehow—though they'd seen no evidence of it yet—and also because it helped her stay awake while she powered the small square of invisibility below them, masking their flight from anyone who might be watching. It didn't really take much out of her, but it was so easy to get complacent on these long flights. Sooner or later, they both worried one of them would slip up again.