an old flame, Rae, probably not her real name but that hardly matter then and didn't at all now. Everything about her reeked of his misadventurous youth. The short, tight blonde hair, and the long legs that ran on forever. The familiar limp she now sported however was new to him. He narrowed his eyes at her as she began to speak,

 

"That was a nice night, James... nicer than I've had in a while," she said, watching him take a long drag on his cigar. "I thought those were supposed to be bad for you."
"They are, but then, so are you," he muttered, watching her lip twitch. It was the closest she generally came to laughter, least of all today. Something was on her mind, and it wasn't the steady blackening of his lungs.

 

A sudden whine broke the tension. You looked down to see your mutt wagging his tail. Bartholomew was missing half his ear and flecks of grey spotted his fur, but there was no other partner you trusted more.

"I see you kept the dog," Rae's voice was tinged with a hint of disgust. You turned back to her and said...

 

You give her a baleful look, "He hardly had anywhere else to go."

"And whose fault is that," she said, an eyebrow cocked, and a hint of a smile.

"Hmph, as nice as it is to relive our greatest hits Rae, why are you here?"

"You've been no fun since Istanbul, its Gaius, he was found dead two weeks ago and if he's dead, you're next. Thought I'd give you a head start."

 

There was a pause.

"Christ," he said, "christ."

He reached up for his man-bun, let it down, and ran his hand through the long dirty-blond hair. "Christ. This is the first you're saying about it? What do you know, what happened? Tell me everything. I want to know everything you know!"

He turned and kicked out at the fire-hydrant next to it. He stamped on it. Stamped, stamped again. Bartholomew whined.

"God damn it, Rae."

 

"Let me know when you're done with your tantrum," her voice belayed none of the irritation that showed on her face.

"Yeah fuck you too," said James, as he took in one last, long drag of his cigarette before stamping that out too.

"Alright, Rae. You're here cause you know that once they get me, they'll come for you. You've got some sort of plan, half-baked and cock-brained as it probably will be. Out with it, please."

 

"Fine, but not here," she said, "Follow me."

James nodded. He took the spare bobble he carried from his wrist and tied his hair back.

"Let's go," he said. Bartholomew led the way, haring off and turning back to look at them and check they were following. She led him to a panel van. If she wasn't a stone-cold fox it might be a little more concerning.

"When are you going to tell me about those tattoos then, James?"

He looked at the tattoos on his arm, the memory of a darker time, before he forgot gay shit and learned to live in the real world. Always. That was behind him now.

 

You look at them carefully and you decide she isn't quite ready to learn, "Your plan?"

Her eyes lit up with a wild fire that made him think of cigarette smoke and cheap booze in his old Datsun, and an open road with wide expanses on either side.

"We destroy the Idol of Hecate," she said with a reckless grin, "We smash that piece of trash, and They won't pursue you any longer."

"You speak so flippantly about returning to that hell hole," you say anger welling in your gut, "There was a reason we never destroyed it before, do you not remember Antonius or Marcus?"

She flinched back as if you struck her, before narrowing her eyes, "How could I forget, I lost my sister in that place," she snarled out.

"I'm sorry, it's just I can't not think about them when I see you. Do you know how they escaped after all these years, I thought the seal would hold them at least until I died."

 

"No. I have no idea. I've studied your seal, I've studied the Others for four years. It's just... It shouldn't have been possible. Physics doesn't permit it, magic doesn't permit, not even a godling could bend the rules that far."

For the first time since she arrived, real emotion flickered across her visage. Horrified by the expression, James turned away, reaching into his pocket for his smokes.

Ten minutes and another cigarette later, the pair found themselves driving down a pothole-riddled road in Rae's van. It really looked like shit. The model number had been clawed off by some beast, acid had ruined the paint job, and the wheel caps had been melted off. The inside was the only part of the machine that looked vaguely serviceable.

"I'm taking us to an old hideout," said Rae, breaking the silence, "They shouldn't know about it, I haven't been there in over a decade."

James nodded, absently. Secrecy was Rae's specialty. With this, he trusted her judgement.

 

There was a moment’s pause and he spoke before he could help it. Despite everything. “You never said,” said James, “how’s m—“ She almost jerked the van off the road.

“Sorry,” he said, “how’s your daughter?”

 

Her hands seemed to grip the steering wheel tighter. The old van continued to plug along down the road. Silence reigned for several seconds before Rae spoke,

"She's....fine. Engaged actually."

James started.

"Fuck."

Nothing more was said and the smell of cigarettes caused Bartholomew to whine. The beat up old van pulled in front of a dingy, mexican restaurant. The open sign flickered and James raised his brow, "Tacos?"

 

They were huddle over their food in silence, "Your limp, where'd it come from?"

"I was there when Gaius died, even though I knew They wouldn't hurt me, flight or fight yaknow? I jumped off a fire escape, and my legs never been right since."

 

He sat back, the brutal reminder of his situation making the food seem suddenly less appetising.

"There's one thing that's bothering me about this," he said, twirling his fork. "What makes you think that I want your help? Need it, maybe. Want it though? That's a different story altogether."

At her silence he leaned forward and continued. "I haven't exactly been idle these past few years you know. I had a dream once. I was going to be the best. Like noone ever was. You wrecked that dream."

 

She smirked, perfectly sculpted eyebrow arching in question.

"Do you regret it?"

He sat, frozen for a minute, then leant back with a deep sigh.

"Regret? How can I not?"

The smirk remained, challenging now.

"...and yet."

 

"...And yet, it's a cute thought, you had. As if you could ever be great without me," Rae said in a suddenly bored voice. It told James he had struck a nerve. "Your pride may not allow you to admit it, but we work well together. Better than alone. Is it so hard to believe that I think we could save our lives better with each other than if the Others come to pick us off one by one?" She set her fork down, metal loud against the table. "And, yes, I have my daughter to think about. She's innocent of all this. Studying to become a veterinarian of all things. I'd rather not have her wake up one night, her fiance looming over her with glowing orange eyes, teeth poised above her neck. The Others will come for her too. You know they will."

 

The threat hung in the air.

A sudden shift twisted in the air and the aura at the table changed. James sighed once again. It seemed he could never have a decent conversation with Rae. He spoke in a hoarse voice,

"Hello, Gaius. Possessing the living already I see."

Rae's body carried itself differently now. Whereas before she exuded seduction, it was now hunched over, the posture of a man long past his prime. An unnatural voice emitted from her lips,

"The lining between the living and the dead were always my speciality, Octavian."

"I go by James now, Gaius. You know this."

"Fucking modern names. Never understood why you and Cleo were so determined to blend in."

"It draws less attention."

"It ignores who you are!"

Silence filled the air and James felt his tattoos begin to itch.

"What do you want, Gaius?"

 

He opened Rae's mouth to reply, but it was enough. He was done with this shit. He had a normal life. A normal human life, and he was done with this gay shit.

He smashed one hand down, flat on the table. Let out a trickle of the power that had once drawn Rae to him. Before everything else about him pushed her away. Small flecks of concrete dust fell from the ceiling and the empty taco-bar shook for a few seconds but it was enough, and that was it. Gods, he was strong once.

Rae swooned, slumping in her booth, "...James?" she asked.

"Gaius," he replied.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "That fuck," she said. But her eyes were downcast and her words slurred.

 

His strength was not what it once was, and his spirit lingered, her mouth opened and contorted in odd ways.

His voice was like a tape played backwards but still coherent "We are coming, Marcus, Antonius, and Julia, I try to delay but this worm in my mind, it gnaws."

"Did the girl truly inherit the curse?"

"I am afraid so old friend."

"Damn it all to hell. I was the one who touched the idol not her!"

"Whatever it is, its beyond caring now. Time grows short I must leave. Find Cicero he is your only hope now." Rae slumped over in her seat.

 

From the corner of his eye, James noticed a weird shape. Risking whiplash, he turned to see the figure of his childhood hero, Optimus Prime, staring at him from outside the window.

"Holy fuck."

Even if its a prank, I'm gonna let it stay. -- Zombie