Guns, Sex, Lies & Money

Ch 2

“Sir, do you need some help? Are you off your medication?” Morgan stepped forward and took Stancil by the arm, but the old man pulled free of his grasp just as James grabbed Morgan from behind by the collar of his jacket and nearly yanked him off his feet.

“He’s in better shape than you’re going to be in a minute.” James balled his big right hand up in a fist. He didn’t need much of a reason to pop the guy; just a little one would do.

“Man you need to…” Morgan whirled around and stepped toward James, but the bigger man could have sensed the war veteran’s fear even if the alley were pitch dark.

“Yes?” James grinned, offering what he hoped was his best impression of a shark.

“Never mind. This guy’s more important.” Morgan made a show of brushing himself off before leaning against the wall farthest from Earl and James.

“Guess we can agree on something.” James relaxed and turned his attention back to Stancil, rubbing the palm of his hand against his jeans to soothe the marks his nails had made there.

“What’s with the crazy light show? Practicing for a kid’s birthday party or something?” Earl asked. He took his sunglasses off and wiped the sweat from the bridge of his nose. 

“I’m a wizard, actually.” The old man met Earl’s gaze without fear. James had the impression the bum knew exactly how ridiculous his claim sounded, but was daring the burly bikers to call his bluff.

“Right, a wizard.” Earl replaced his sunglasses and stepped forward, hands on his hips. “There’s like, maybe a couple hundred actual wizards in the whole world, and they all have one thing in common. Power. You’d see my ass on the street before you’d find even the planet’s crappiest wizard living in an alley. Maybe our pal is right about you and some pills. You take pills, Stancil?”

“I’m not mentally ill. You just saw me do magic. And I’m not like your world’s ‘wizards.’ Most of them know some impressive tricks, but usually have done little of the studying behind the art.” The old man raised an eyebrow behind his smudged, wireless spectacles. His poorly-matched, soiled, jeans, t-shirt and flannel hung loosely from his frame.

“Guys do ‘magic’ like that all the time. Hell, I know a guy who cuts his product with lumen dust just for fun. Where have you been the last fifty years? And what’s this shit about not coming from this world?’”

“I’ve been in your world for the past twenty years. I’m from Earth too, but mine is smaller, and time is different. I’m not a natural at moving between worlds. Some people are. Even some people from here; probably not your ‘wizards,’ though.” Stancil smirked. Somehow, the man managed to cast an aura of pride and self-worth even in the rags he wore. “Other things come easier to me. One of them is having a bit of foresight as to how my life would progress here—and how it would end. I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather for quite some time now, and your arrival means I can finally be at peace.”

“You’re from another world, and you can see the future, but you couldn’t see this coming?” Earl gestured at their surroundings. He turned his back on Stancil and clapped James on the back as he walked past him. “Let’s go, man. We still need to find Windham.”

“Stop!” Stancil’s voice strengthened for an instant. The air rippled in front of Earl and he bounced off it, as though it were a wall, right into James’ chest. The wizard slumped back to his overstuffed, plastic-wrapped roost.

“What the fuck?” Earl fumbled for the gun James knew he kept holstered at his side, but halted at the touch of his partner on his arm.

“Please,” Stancil said. All at once, he was fragile, soft-spoken, again. “That’s all I can spare. I don’t have enough power left to hold you against your will and give you what I need to give you.”