The Clairvoyant 1

A lone figure walked across the bridge. The blue umbrella he held dangled from a finger, folded, closed. His shirt clung to his chest, not showing the muscles that were taut beneath it. The rain drizzled over his head. Sighing, he pulled out a mobile phone, or was it something else?

"Hey Pete, this is Clair…. Uh yeah, could you make it a bit heavy…?"

The line at the other end crackled in between and Clair heard him say, "Sure thing, I’ll add a few more grams and an extra layer of icing…"

"Could you for once think about something other than baking?"

Pete’s tone changed, "What is it?" business in his voice rode over his carefree mask.

"Jeez! Chill out man! I just wanted the drizzle to pour!"

A few minutes later, a smile on his lips, Clair walked down the road towards his apartment.

Far behind lay a blue umbrella.

***

Firon glided stealthily into the class. Lucky as she was, the teacher did not notice her. Dumping all her books on her partner’s desk she sat down. Anyways it was the fifth row. Her partner who she thought was very co-operative, turned to her with a worried face and said, "Mr. Doug’s lecture today. They announced it yesterday. I came to know today morning."

She whispered back, "Bull shit! Why didn’t you tell me? What am I going to do?"

"You? Well, you’ll be sitting with me in the cafeteria for the next two hours."

She gave a very pig like face and asked, "What for?"

"We are going to get kicked out anyways, I’d rather go out with some dignity. You wanna join me, you are welcome, otherwise…"

A hoarse voice said, "Mr. Clair… if you are done flirting with your partner please answer the question…"

Her partner flared up and went on to embarrass her, "I don’t like her!

She had to play along, "Neither do I!"

The lecturer turned his angry gaze toward Firon and said, Very well! You shall answer the question as well," looking at Clair he said, "Which lobe of the liver is involved in liver abscesses?"

She glanced at Clair, his unwavering confidence defying the act of guilt he was putting on. He looked at his shoes, the typical way of showing guilt. Uh… oh!

"Yes Ms. Firon… which lobe?"

She shook her head.

"Out! Out! Both of you!"

Firon, sulking and Clair smirking walked out, with or without dignity.

A few minutes later they were sitting across each other. How she had dreamed of this moment. But not in their posh café, in some romantic hotel where he would tell her how much he loved her… how he had always tried to look at her in the lab. She had caught him looking a million times and he had caught her… but that was a different matter.

"So here we are! Bunking class…" Clair said coolly.

"Yeah sure! Bunking class- without dignity."

He arched his back as she gazed at its length, he said, "Not my fault. I was just informing you…"

She flared a bit and taunted him, "So now it’s my fault, hah?"

"Come to think of it! You were late! So you put both of us in trouble."

She admitted her fault but said, "Alright, let’s drop it!"

He raised his hands in defeat and they both sat quietly for a long time. It was early afternoon. Firon crossed her leg and said, "I’d like to know more about you… . you know we’ve got like two hours more…"

He turned grave, for the first time Firon saw something more real in him. Something which said I’m alone. All alone.

"You wouldn’t want to know, you know…. I’m not such a good guy over all."

She let out a gasp when she saw a dozen men and women all wearing suits walk with authority inside the café. Two of them pulled out a gun and aimed at Clair. He closed his eyes and whispered, "Play along… like usual."

Clair opened his eyes and smiled, it was sad but the fearless look was nevertheless there. A second later, he pushed his chair with one leg, jumped over to her side, grabbed her hand and started running.

"Where are we going?" Firon asked worried.

"Huh… listen… huff! I can’t let you in on more than the fact that both our lives are in extreme danger…."

"What are you…" she panted a bit and then continued, "talking about?"

"They think I told you everything, but even if I do tell them, no one’s going to believe me or you for that matter. Now hold on…" He flicked out a small device and beeped some numbers. Putting it to his ear, he said hurriedly, "Pete! This is Clair… my security’s been breached. Yeah I read their minds, they think I’ve leaked information and they are after me and a friend… yeah, yeah she is alien but it doesn’t matter… just open a portal… please… why not?"

Firon looked at Clair. His forehead was covered in sweat. Firon knew he was losing his cool, and fast.

He stopped dead in his tracks but held Firon’s wrist firmly. He yelled into whatever that device was, "What? Why Pete? Why was I not informed…? I have not divulged any information…"

Firon said her voice shaking and her hand trembling, "They are gaining on us I think we should keep running."

Clair turned to her, his eyes were glistening but she acted as if it was nothing, "I ask you to run… go away from here, far away. Forget what you saw here… please, forget that you ever knew me…"

Firon looked at the only escape from that place, an opening in the fence a few meters away. All around them stood those people. She was so confused, her mind was too stunned to sort things out. The basic instinct to save her life washed over her but for some reason she couldn’t move. As if she was inside the ground till her waist. She stood there, dazed. A few guns pointed at her but she just stared as if they were waiting for her order. Clair turned towards her and yelled, "Wanna die or what? They are going to take me out… run along now. Good bye."

Firon stood there like a dork.

"God damn it! Run Firon please!" Clair was shouting, she could hear him but nothing was wrong… why was he asking her to run. Clair caught a man’s thought- to shoot the human, Firon. He leaped at the man and said, "I’m all yours… leave her alone. I’m the one you guys have to take out…"

A female voice, iced and harsh said, "We did not spare the man at the café, how can we spare your pretty friend."

Before he could do anything, a gunshot sounded clear through the air. He turned around gasping, that was the last thing he saw before they shot him- he saw her crumble to the ground, blood oozing from under her clavicle.

***

ONE YEAR LATER:

Cider Lithe heartbeat raced, he had to hurry up. Firon Dare looked at him and nodded. She mouthed- ‘on the count of 3…’ Next she looked at Clair Inferno who was concentrating on their target. He took in a deep breath and pressed the earphone to communicate with Firon. Firon sucked in a quick breath and touched her earphone.

"Inferno to Dare, target will move left, then get down the gutter…"

Firon whose code name was Dare started tracking the target, moving stealthily southwards. Clair had to inform Cider about his next move, "Inferno to Lithe," Clair paused as he felt another presence, postponing the idea of catching it, he continued, "Moving south, take three minutes and fifty six seconds to reach the bottom of the gutter. Watch it… secondary target nearing."

He saw Cider nod, expertise personified. Then he races after Firon noiselessly. She was braced against the wall, her yuver bulleted gun held firmly in her hand. He stood in front of her and whispered, "In seventeen seconds… your turn…"

He concentrated on their target, a man cloaked in grey. It was difficult to keep tracking him in all that fog appearing. Glaring into the fog and the drizzle, one behind the other, they rushed after the man and behind him, leaped into a gutter.

"Inferno to Lithe, 3minutes 56 seconds. Other end of the road. He’ll come out through the other end. Get him there."

"Coming."

Clair treaded along the gutter with Firon not far behind. They followed him out of the tunnel and emerged into the fog. He froze as did Firon. He said into the darkness, "Got him… your turn."

Firon charged ahead and took in a deep breath saying, "Stop moving, nothing is around… stop running from yourself… stay… look at the sky, look through the fog…."

She observed the man, he was looking at the sky. Cider’s voice came in, "Dare, you done?"

"Yes. Attack. Now."

Cider swept past them with exceptional agility and in seconds the three of them stood around the dead body, blood spattered over their faces and dresses.

Cider raised his blood covered hand and held it in front of Clair, "It was a pleasure working with the Clairvoyants."

Extending his hand and shaking it firmly he said, "We’ll look forward to working with you again."

With a nod to Firon, he yelled, "Wrap it up! We’re done!"

The lights came on, the surrounding disappeared and they were standing in the garden. Firon brushed off the drying blood as the illusion completely disappeared. The night had become starry and clear unlike what they were practicing in. Cider passes a wry smile to Pete, who was controlling the illusions. Not by his powers, by the training machine that created illusions for people preparing for getting into the ‘real job’. Clair turned to Firon, like usual, they would be going for their regular cup of coffee. Refreshing bit of fluid- it was.

"Hey Firon… how ‘bout two cups of coffee for today?" He heard a moan and turned to see Firon sway and fall awkwardly to a side.