Interlude Thirty point Two,
What happened the day after the week before.
The bang of pans and the pungent smell of breakfast broke through
the haze
of Jim’s sleep, as the house woke up around him. The House in
question was the
Wander-No-More house for waifs and strays, mainly prostitutes looking
for a way
out of the streets. But life throws up all sorts and the house seemed to
cater
for a wide range of needy people, of which Jim was one.
Jim Reed A.K.A Flex, one of Port Alexander’s newest heroes, was
using the
opportunity since gaining his new powers to turn over a new leaf seeking
to
leave behind a broken life as well. He worked now at the Wander No More
house as
a general handy man. But in the evenings Jim sought to use his powers as
Flex to
help others but without the power to strike back.
His last case had finished only the night before with Flex escaping
from Dr.
Saruva, the man partially responsible for Jim becoming Flex. Into the
bargain he
had managed to free a number of prostitutes, Saruva had been using as
his guinea
pigs in his twisted genetic experiments.
Flex had stuck around long enough for the police to take in Jackal,
one of
Saruva’s super powered henchmen, then ducked out. "I still feel
somewhat
disorientated." Jim thought to himself. The adventure had began when he
had been
trying to rescue what he thought was a girl about to be mugged, only to
find he
was the target not her but him. "Funny they then thought about torching
the
place, the girls and all. Saruva had been so protective before!" Jim
continued
in his musings as he took in what had happened. He still felt physically
tired,
what with work his training and his patrolling, life had been busy.
Jim saw that he had left the window open when he entered last night,
he got
up to look out. Even before he got to the window he could hear the paper
seller
down the street. Although still partially asleep, as Jim turned to the
mirror
something bothered him. The daily chore of shaving was one that
Jim’s new powers
made irrelevant. Since he could shape change he could grow hair or make
it
disappear! But somehow since being a boy he had always enjoyed the
thought of
shaving. He remembered watching his dad still hold to the old ways of
using a
cut throat razor. Jim shuddered, he loved watching his dad carefully
trim his
face but always held his breath so as not to disturb his dad - least he
cut
himself in the process. Now Jim found some comfort still in the daily
routine of
shaving, although he much preferred a electric shaver. "It makes my skin
crawl
just to think of having a naked blade that close to my throat every
morning."
Jim thought.
It was not until he had got to brushing his teeth that it suddenly
occurred
to Jim what was wrong. He could still hear the seller and the news stand
shouting out, "Saturday special! Get your Saturday Special!"
"Saturday, hang on." Jim thought, "But today is meant to be Monday."
Jim
didn't have time to think about what he had just discovered because he
could
hear a rattling at this door. His room was his own space. No one,
ordinarily,
would come in. "What was going on?" Moving without thinking about it Jim
leapt
out of the window, extending his arm and fingers like a whip he caught
the
familiar drain pipe outside that he had reinforced and used it to catch
the wall
before leaping past the second floor and onto the roof. With his window
open and
the street still quiet below Jim listened in. He could just make out
Granny
Maud’s voice. "Strange I could have sworn I heard young Jim moving
about. Have
you not heard anything from him?" "No mam! I tried missing persons and
the place
where his Mom is, but no one has seen him for over a week. Right about
the time,
we saw him last…." "That was Sarge." Jim thought. "…Although
I don’t know what
is going on I am afraid for that boy. I think he is hiding something."
That may
as be," said Granny Maude sharply interrupting Sarge, "But he has proven
himself
of worth and I trust him." "Well that may be, but after the trouble we
have had
recently, we can be none to careful about things. I will call some of my
friends
down at division, see if anything has come up."
Jim was glad he was sitting down when he had heard this, the voices
quietened
as the two left his room, locking it again behind them. "Heck I have
missed a
week. How long was I ought for?" Jim tried to piece the fragmented
pieces of his
memory back together as he thought through what had happened. When he
had come
to, he was in one of those glass tubes same as the women Saruva had
operated on.
"At the time I guess I had assumed that it was only a short while that I
had
been unconscious for. But a whole week…What am I going to do."
Just then the noise of an approaching jet momentarily drew
Jim’s attention.
"Hey that jet gives me an idea. I hate to lie, but I don’t know
the Sarge well
enough to tell him the truth. Besides I am not sure that he could let me
stay
here, if he knew who I was.
Gathering himself together, Jim checked the street to make sure it
was clear
before lowering himself back into his room. A short while later Jim had
packed a
bag and cleared the house. Going over the roof tops to avoid being seen,
then
after finding a quiet alley to alight into Jim walked back to the house.
As he
steeped into the wide entrance way Madeline, one of the volunteer
helpers,
almost dropped the tray she was carrying when she saw Jim walk in.
"What are you doing here, we thought…Sarge! SARGE get out here.
You’ll never
guess who has just turned up!" Madeline shouted in an excited fashion.
Although
Jim had been missing for a whole week he had not expected such a
response
especially from Madeline. She usually avoided him or at least never said
much to
him. Jim just thought that she was so engrossed in her studies, that she
really
did not pay him any mind.
Jim didn’t have time to consider this strange turn of events
for with
Madeline’s shout the whole house, it seemed, came running. Then
came the
questions. Jim hoped his story would hold. "Did you get my note…I
am sorry I had
to rush out…yes it was all last minute. Yes I am fine…the
plane trip was
tiring…I am the only living relative you know…it was
urgent."
Jim hated fabricating such a lie but the house knew of his English
background. His sudden disappearance seemed best explained by a
emergency visit
to a imaginary relative back in England. Although by the time the fuss
had died
down, most people just seemed relieved he was safe and well. The fact
that
messages had gone astray in the house before helped add credibility to
his
story, but Sarge still seemed to give Jim a puzzled look.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Although technically it was
Jim’s day
off, a week out of action meant a lot of work had got piled up. So Jim
got stuck
in earnestly. Madeline passed by a couple of times, once even getting
him some
fresh coffee. Up until know he had not really noticed her. Jim’s
luck with women
had not been good so far. But now he Madeline was paying him some
attention he
suddenly realised how Madeline was actually a very attractive young
lady. She
was not around that much mostly at the weekends helping out partly
because she
needed cash to fund her studies. That is what Jim had been told. She was
about
his age but that was all Jim knew. "Hmm, I don’t even know what
her last name
is." Thought Jim as he sipped his coffee.
That evening as he was putting the tools away Sarge called Jim into
his room
for a beer. Jim felt more comfortable around Sarge than he had when he
had first
arrived. His unease was mainly down to the fact that he had a past. A
past he
did not want anyone, especially a retired Police officer, hearing about.
They
talked about football, catching up on all the house news and what had
been
happening in the area in the past week.
Just at the clock struck 11pm Sarge got up. "You know I really
appreciate you
Jim. You have been good medicine for Maude and the rest of the house.
And what
with the business with Dave and all…well its good that
you’re back safe and
sound. If you need to take off like that again though please let me know
in
person. Don’t leave a note. OK?"
"Absolutely, sorry and err…thanks", Jim blushed as he spoken,
he had not been
good with words, or more importantly with emotions certainly not in an
open way
such as this.
"Well I need to be turning in." Sarge spoke heavily as he opened his
door to
show Jim out. Just as Jim was going to walk through though, Sarge gently
but
firmly took his arm, "You know from the day I met you, I knew that you
had been
hiding something. We all have secrets you know. But sometimes we also
need
people to share those things with. You looked like a young man with many
burdens. You know this places success is partly due to the fact that we
can give
people a helping hand. That people know there is someone who cares,
unconditionally. If you need help you will let me know, won’t
you?" Sarge looked
Jim in the eye. "Jim, boy if there was ever a time to be calm and
sincere then
this is it." Jim thought, "Of course Sarge. I…I understand."
"I know your secret Jim." Sarge said looking more intently, and
holding on to
his arm now more tightly. "What…what do you mean?" Jim said trying
to control
any tremor in his voice.
"I mean I found out about your Mom, I did not mean to pry, you know.
And I am
sorry if you feel angry - but when you disappeared I looked into your
background
and found out about her. I am sorry to hear about her state Jim. If
there is
anything we can do to help you, you know we’re here for you. Sarge
looked
sincere and Jim just nodded. Relief washed over him mixed with fear. He
could
only hope that Sarge had not discovered anything else. Although Jim had
talked
about his Mom in passing somehow he could not bring himself to reveal
the full
story. "Thanks Sarge. Well must be turning in myself. Good night." Jim
turned
and walked up to his room. He felt so tired that he decided the Parts
could do
without Flex tonight, Jim was turning in.
Behind him the Sarge closed his door and moved to his desk, where he
withdrew
a file of papers. As he sat down to open them his fears only grew. "Had
to pull
a lot of favours to get this." Sarge mumbled to himself. "But now I know
that
you are not telling all the truth Jim, I don’t know what to do
with you. I do
know you are from England all right. But I also know from your
Mom’s records,
that you do not appear to having…any living relatives in
England. What
are you hiding Jim Reed? Surely it is more than your Mother's
health…!"
Last Updated 23 November 2002
