Based on the notes of Blaire Faraday.
I took the liberty of not focusing too much on the rest of the journey to San Francisco. Not much happened. We were pretty shaken after the demonstration, but just a couple of people asked to leave as soon as we got to shore. The rest of us were quite determined to help RAIN to deal with the artefacts in any way we could. But Mr. Darbinyan told us the real training would be on Fort Alcatraz when we arrived to the island. He also told us to use the time to get acquainted with each other, and to be eager meeting the ones we had to pick in the way from New York.
In the days we took to arrive at the port of New York on the 26th, I learned four things. Ursula is one of those people who have enough magnetism so you could never say them no. Leslie could spend her entire life in the library if it weren’t for simple thigs like eating, sleeping, and going to the bathroom. Dr. Tang was certainly hiding something, because when Dr. Munoz asked her about the pearl, she bolted to the door with a frown in her face and followed by her lapdog. And lastly but no less important, Paolo Ortiz has to be one of the most insufferable man who ever stepped on god’s green earth; and I mean it with the bottom of my heart.
Timing, timing, timing. We arrived on New York in the 26th, that already was said. We had to spent a night there while they did the whole “moving the train while we slept” thing. From there was to Chicago, to where we got on the evening of the 28th. Spent the night again while they were busy loading cargo and people. From there to Seattle on the 31st. More people, but the small delay was shifting the rails. This brings us to the late afternoon of the same day, right after leaving this city.
On the trip I had the chance to meet other members of the department, and, by the time we were on the last tram, we were called to another meeting. Though since we weren’t at the ship, the reunion had to be on the two-story liquor bar. The place was empty of even the slightest drop of alcohol, due to being in prohibition country, and even the wooden bar was missing, with a couple of tables with coffeepots in its place.
Mr. Darbinyan was back inside a demarked area, but with no boxes around him. He was just sitting in an old-style armchair with mossy green tapestry, surrounded by stacks of books on the same style of our manuals. Since I could see a few of the names written on the side, I had a small shiver: they were our names in golden letters. Whatever that was, certainly wasn’t good.
—Welcome to the last day before getting into the ferry to Alcatraz Island and the training grounds. Sadly, this is not just a pleasant meeting. I fear I have some distressing news. As you can see, there are a couple of members missing…
“A couple of” would be an understatement. From the original forty people group, we were down to a bit more than thirty; I did a quick head counting and we were 32 people there without counting him. Doctor Munoz, who until that moment was thick as thieves with Dr. Tang, was suspiciously missing. Checked the others and, to my unluck, Ortiz was still there at the edge of his seat. Ursula was next to me, bouncing her leg in a completely pink ensemble; she seemed jumpier since we arrived at the US.
—They are not late— he said, after a couple of seconds of us looking for the missing—. I’m afraid they have been laid-off due to an agreement of the Board and the Overseer. I can’t discuss anything else on the matter, but I can guarantee this part is over.
—The one that is not over— Ariel yelled from upstairs—, is the part related to the training.
They climbed down and made another chair appear besides Mr. Darbinyan. They didn’t look happy, as pushed away a couple of stacks of books so they could sit.
—As it said in your contracts, the final part is to dilute this too large group into what it’s supposed to be. From this 32 we should be at…let’s see— they pulled a dossier from thin air—. Ah, yes, 28. Not much, but enough.
—On this note, we have the list of the teams, which will be available tomorrow morning when we arrive— Mr. Darbinyan interrupted, trying to sound less intimidating than Mx. Bonheur—.
They adjourned the meeting in that note, and we were left wondering who we were paired with.
A couple hours later, we were at the smoking lounge at the caboose. Me, Ursula, Dr. Tang, Leslie, and a couple of the ones I hadn’t got the time to introduce yet. I will do it now to get it out of the way, but please remember it’s the late afternoon of the last day on the train.
I had the time to meet Margot Soleil on the ship. She was the auburn curly girl which had sat in the welcome lunch. Though this should be one of the few times I call her by her real name, since she despised it and rather went by “Mugsy”. She was a racer, and that explained why one of the cargo pieces was a shiny red and white Hispano-Suiza badly covered in a tarp. She was not just one of the first woman to win races in Inverness and Perth, but was also one of the youngest ever, and the only one who had done it pregnant. She was with her toddler, Brigitte, making a small spell to make the smoke go everyway but the kid’s airspace.
—I still haven’t got the chance to see my cousin and catch-up. I’ve been looking for him everywhere in this train— she said, bouncing the girl carefully on her leg—. I swear to god he’s sleeping on the roofs or something.
—You have a cousin here? —Ursula asked, turning her head away as she smoked.
—Yes, but he didn’t know I applied for this job. Didn’t want anyone to think I’m here just because of him.
—Part of the Board or something? —I was trying to see a resemble of anyone I’d seen in my interview, to no avail.
—Kind of. Daedalus’ mother is my father’s sister. It’s more complicated than that, but in big strokes, we are cousins, and we’ve known since forever.
—You’ve seen him younger? —Ursula put off her cigarette— Do you happen to have a picture? I have a bet with my friend Barbara Vanderbilt about his original hair colour.
—I know his hair was black back, way back in the day. But no, I don’t have any pictures.
—Maybe a cave drawing? Are the rumours true? —Walter yelled from the other side of the room, trying to balance a tray with a teapot and cups.
Walter and Iris Fletcher had gotten on board in Chicago, with their two daughters. Both of them had applied to the job through a friend of a friend, and were, as far as we knew, the only couple who were hired. In other cases, just one of them got hired and the other either went along or stayed back. They were nice, round people; both as the character and their physical appearance. Walter followed the floating tray, but his hand went to his pained arm; he was shot during the War and from time to time, explained, it was hard to move everything below his right shoulder. His wife, Iris, was, as he, a teacher, and was the one who had written the Montgomery Child-Care book series. I had read a couple of pages when some of my colleagues were preparing for that horrid moment of becoming new parents in the midst of the War.
—Wally, sit down, don’t be rude— Iris scolded him—. No, but seriously, how old is he?
—No one knows. The man is as closed as a clam— Mugsy shrugged—.
—Perhaps we should throw him in boiling water— said Professor Linde, sitting and making lights appear on his hands so Brigitte was distracted—. That’s what you do with clams, right?
—Maybe we should— I said, doubting to ask but doing it anyway—. Hey, will you not have problems here in America? Due to your, you know, heritage and all that?
—You mean because I’m German? —he asked and I felt my heart beat before he smiled and laughed—. I doubt too many people would care as much as to try something. I’ve been living in the US for almost sixty years, so I don’t even have my accent anymore.
Wilbur Linde was, in two words, a brilliant man. Part of the generation who came in the Reconstruction Era, MIT alumnus, worked with Edison, Tesla, Marconi, and Bell, before opening Linde Laboratories in Boston. Well, technically, he was “Baron Wilbur Von Linde”, but with the War the title was pointless and the money associated to it was gone to help with the European reconstruction. He had a sister, but the lady had died a few years ago.
—To be honest—the old blond man said, containing a laugh—, I would like to meet the imbecile who thinks the man living in this country for twice their time is less American than them.
—They’ll have to get through us first— Ursula was half smiling-half looking at her glass of water—. I’m sorry to cut this get together short, but there’s a thing I need to deal with. Blaire, Dr. Tang, can I speak to you in private?
—Sure— I said, following her to the next car—. But Dr. Tang…
The woman was fast asleep alone in the loveseat by the corner, but by the time we were on the empty smoking lounge, she was standing next to us. How she did it was impressive, even with magic. Ursula made sure to lock every door and window with a twist of her wrist. Still, she looked nervous while speaking, as if she was afraid for someone barging in mid conversation.
—What is important enough to make me lose sleep time? —Dr. Tang, blinking heavily, said.
—Today there’s a full blue moon, and I need someone to make guard so I don’t —Ursula lowered her voice until we had to almost kissed her to hear—, kill anyone in my rampage.
—I know a blue moon tends to make people act a bit out of the ordinary, but don’t you think you’re exaggerating? —I said, but there was a strange shine in her eyes that put me on the same high alert I had during my time in radio—Wait, are you a?
—Werewolf? Yes, I am. I though people knew. I mean, the DeLuca Clan had controlled the Veneto for over five hundred years, is no secret— she said, looking at us and at the window—. But ever since we left for America no one seemed to notice. Tonight, is the full moon and I don’t have a place to stay secured.
—Are you alright? You are a bit greenish— Dr. Tang said, looking at her—.
Her face was, indeed, getting greener by the minute. She was breathing heavily and looked like was about to pass out. With Dr. Tang we sat her on an empty chair with a paper bag until she calmed down. This took several minutes and, by the time she did, we could see the sun, which meant it was around five in the afternoon, which only distressed her more and more. However, she seemed more resolute than before.
—Good, no, I’m good— she said, standing up—. I think I should go speak with Taryn or Ariel. They have to be prepared for something like this. Can you come with me, please?
—Sure— we both said, and shared a puzzled look.
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