The Learner Part 1.

[Living_Hellfire]

Calliope Smith walked the long trail between the burnt out shacks and ramshackle buildings of Mercy Island's slums as the sun dipped below the Western horizon. She had spent far too long with Professor Carlisle and now faced the consequences of making her way through the urban jungle after dark, against the express instructions of her father. The usual cadre of drunks, addicts and homeless called to her as she snuck her way through the shortest route, avoiding the obvious thoroughfares. She knew she was hunted.

 

"Heeere, little pretty!". A voice called from the rooftops as she rounded the corner onto Salvage Avenue, not four blocks from home. Two figures dropped from balconies blocking off her exit to the main street. She turned to flee only to find two more thugs armed with bats emerging from the shadows behind her. Calliope clutched her book-bag to her chest, pressing her back against the the alley wall and then felt something other than fear for the first time and her right heel slammed against the brick foundation behind her.

 

"Leave me alone!" She cried at the four men.

 

"Oh, no, Pretty, you're coming with us. Dr. Aeon pays extra for mutants." The largest of the four stepped into view, pressing his face into the girl's. He was a slab of meat, towering over the 14 year old girl, wielding a tire iron meant for long haul truck trailers. He smiled, revealing gaps filled with rotting meat, buttressed by teeth suffering of lack of cleaning, held together loosely by swollen gums.

 

"Remember Calliope" Professor Carlisle's voice rang in her head. "Anytime you use your gifts you call attention to the gods, and they will often judge if your use of those gifts is righteous." And so she set her teeth and braced, her left hand holding her school back to her chest, her right hand down at her side as she faced off against The Ragdoll Slavers. "No. I'm not goin' anywhere with you!"

The meat slab reached out for the girl and the alley-way lit up with pink, preceding the sound of a small explosion, sending the slab back into the wall behind him. The remaining three stepped back, lifting their weapons when the sickly, sweet scent of tobacco filled the air.

"Alright, I reckon that's quite enough." Said a rough voice with a Scottish brogue. "I reckon the wee lass isnae interested in joinin' yer company."

 

The meat slab slowly slid back up the alley wall, rubbing his eyes and clearing his head. "You. Why are you here?" He demanded, pointing his club at The Man in Black as he strode down the lane, the sharp clicks of hard soled loafers echoing off the bricks.

 

"Ye tell yer master that he's got my attention. He'll nae be harvestin' this one." He ground his heel to a stop between the girl and The Ragdoll Slaver leader. "She's under my protection."

 

"Boss..." Said one of the henchmen from the dark. "Maybe we should..."

 

"Shut up!" Snarled the meat slab before holding up the end of the tire-iron under the nose of The Man in Black. "This girl is coming with us! We found her! That's how it works!"

 

The Man in Black puffed his cigar and the blue smoke filled the alley, choking and intoxicating. He looked back at the little girl huddled against the wall.

 

"I'm nae savin' her from ye, ye feckin' bellend. I'm savin' ye from her." The cherry of his cigar flared and flashed against the burnt orange, opaque lenses of his shades. Eight shoulders relaxed involuntarily as they realized the stakes. "This one's nae fer ye, an' ye can tell Dr. Aeon I said as much. Now, off ye fuck." And they did.

 

The Man in Black stepped out and away from the little girl, showing his back and side, relying on the primal indicators of mortal non-verbal communication before asking. "Alright, lass?"

 

"Thank you." She said, hesitantly before stepping back out into the alley and following The Man in Black out onto Solace Drive. She looked right, down the three blocks to her apartment building before looking up at her benefactor. "I think I've heard of you, Mister."

 

"Is that so?" He grinned as he tucked the still lit cigar back into his breast pocket. "Why don't ye regale me with the tales as we take ye home, aye?"

 

"Well, my friends at school say you're the hellfire guy."

 

He smiled at the girl. "Aye, I reckon that's so, but me mates call me Liv."

 

She nodded as she walked.

 

"What should I call you?"

 

"Ye may call me however ye like, lass." He grinned from behind his beard before reaching into his breast pocket, revealing an alabaster business card upon which were scorched the words "The Legendary Living Hellfire" and handing it to her as they reached the door to her apartment building. "But this is the surest way tae get me attention. Jes' toss it intae the nearest open flame an' I'll hear yer call."

 

She took the card before bounding up the steps and turning. "What did you mean, Mr. McRae? Why am I under your protection? Why did you say you were protecting them from me?"

 

For the first time the air felt heavy, as though the question sounded inappropriate. The silence was almost oppressive before The Man in Black spoke.

 

"Ye've a great power, Calliope Smith. A great power, indeed. I reckon yer professor kens it an' I've reason tae believe yer da unnerstands it as well, at least insofar as he's cautious an' concerned about it. Mind yer da, Calliope, an' mind yer professor. They're good men who seek tae aid ye in protectin' yerself an' more'n that, in aidin ye one day in protectin' others. As I do."

 

Mercy Island was eerily quiet for a moment as The Angel spoke. "An ye ken how tae find me should ye make a mistake, as I'm sure ye will."

 

The click of hard soled loafers echoed in the slums of Mercy Island and a young girl with a destiny went to bed.

Edited Friday at 11:13 PM by Living_Hellfire