Pretty Boy Psycho
Inflitrator

Left by myself at the top of Spindle Tower I let my eyes leak. I want Casey! They took blood, spit, and skin cells. The skin cells were easy. The blood made me lightheaded when I saw it being syringed out my arm. My ankle is manacled to the obsidian pillar. I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms round them. Without my friends or switchblades, I’m just me, a hysterical pretty boy, who isn’t even that pretty this evening. At least I still have my hat. I let it droop right over my face, and fiddle with the bracelet Casey gave me. I miss him so much and I’ve only been away a couple of hours.

Stop being weak. This bracelet stands for strength. I have a part of Casey Hillcrest with me. I maybe chained up, but this is an infiltration. I am here to take down General Midnight from the inside. Only I’ve no clue how. On the plus side I’m gonna have plenty of thinking time, up here alone at the top of Spindle Tower, with no one to talk too. Worst plan ever.

This is no time to get self-doubty. I can take on Midnight. I will take on Midnight. I must take on Midnight. Geordie trusts me, meaning I must trust myself. I smudge away tears on my wrists. Infiltrators have no time to get emotional when on jobs.

What would Cain do? I guess he’d have a get out of tricky predicament card and know exactly what he was doing when on a job. All I have is an end goal. The rest of the plan I’ll be making up as I go along. Weak moment over I crawl to the edge of the platform and stare down at what everyone’s getting up to on the ground floor. Boring. Every so often a Thunder wanders across the marble floor.

Tired I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling. I really can’t do this on my own no matter what I keep telling myself. The only way I’m getting out is in a casket. Maybe a plan will come to me in the morning. It’s cold up here. Try to sleep. Can’t.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I look to the window. The glass has been replaced with normal non-coloured glass. Someone’s levitating out there. Can’t see who.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Whoever they are they’re getting impatient. Needing something to happen I go over to the window. Undo the latch. I skitter backwards as a Thunder steps off a skeletal; comes through the window. He’s got this majestic grey cloak that seems to glide round his feet as he walks.

“Security round here when you have a skeletal is shocking.”

“Case!” I squeak and hurl myself at him. “I can’t do this on my own.”

“I know. We’re a team. Operation light her up is in progress. Has anyone hurt you?”

“They took some blood.”

“If that’s all they’ve done you’ve gotten off lightly. Honestly offering yourself up as a science project to save that rabble was stupid. You’re worth ten of everyone else.” Casey crouches on the platform, inspects the chain to my ankle. Whips a set of pliers from within his cloak and snips off my chain easy.

“How are you so prepared?”

“Geordie was manacled here; knew if you were being kept in the same place, I’d need something to cut you loose.”

“What’s next?”

“We light up as much of Spindle Tower as possible.” Casey presses a lighter into my hand.

“If we fail we’re compromising Kensington.”

“Forget Kensington. People have to stop living their cosy little lives and help you Cloudys. Are you sure you’re alright?” Casey takes off his cloak and puts it on me, then flicks my hat to the floor and pulls up the hood on the cloak. “Here, lighter, and fluid.” This is when I notice I can see two eyes for once. He’s brushed his fringe off his face using a bandanna. Must be for identity concealment purposes.

“We’re doing Spindle Tower?”

“Yes. I’ll set the roof alight. Be back in a sec.” Casey swings outta the window onto the roof.

I spray lighter fluid round the platform. Push the switch on the lighter. Whoosh. This is some fab lighter fluid. Fire flares. Ot-oh, I probably should have waited for Casey to come inside and stood by the staircase before setting the platform on fire.

“Al, you ditz,” hisses Casey on joining me.

“We can make it.” I take Casey by the elbow and slide round the edge of the platform.

“Stop rushing. No wonder you’re always in bother.”

I squirt fluid on the stairs. “I’ll cover. You light.”

“Watch out for my boots!”

“I’m making a statement.”

“On my boots?”

I’m so glad he’s here being himself despite our crazy raid. How foolish I was to think my family would leave me here to infiltrate by myself.

Casey pauses a moment to ignite a step which flares other steps too. Slips on the step in front of him. Crashes into my back. I grab the rail but drop the fluid. It bumps off the steps landing with a clatter on the floor below. At least we lit half the staircase. The rest may follow. I can hear flames licking the roof. Guards streak into Spindle Tower.

“Fire, fire!” yells Casey. “Cain Dacota’s set Corey West on fire!” We carry on running until we reach the ground. “Cain Dacota’s set Corey West on fire!”

“He did what? Why?” says a guard.

“Obviously Cloud Association doesn’t want our general replaceing out secrets about how to disperse the barrier. My guess is Cain came to assassinate our knowledge. The fiend! Has taken the tower roof with him. Best evacuate quickly.”

“Ay!” I shout excitedly then run for the front doors shouting, “we need water!”

“Yes water. Deploy skeletals with buckets to the nearest well.” Casey hurries after me.

I expect to see The Hub on fire too. Charlie said if we were going to set as much of The Plaza on fire as possible The Hub was the second major landmark to take down. Only there’s no smoke except that billowing from Spindle Tower. Despite Spindle Tower going up in flames Thunders gather close by to watch. I stick close to Casey as we weave through the growing crowd.

“Where are the others?” I ask.

“At home.”

“Home? But you said operation light her up was in progress.”

Casey gestures at Spindle Tower. “It is in progress as planned. Geordie bailed not me. Said he trusted you to do Midnight in from the inside and come home all by yourself. Maybe you could have done but I wasn’t prepared to take a chance. I am not letting these grey cloaked ruffians have their way.” Casey stops walking, turns to Spindle Tower, points to the smoke. “Look what we accomplished today. Like I said no fear. Team Geordie wanted a turf war. I have given you guys a gentle nudge in the right direction. You can thank me later.”

I sway into Casey’s shoulder. “Did anyone ever tell you you’re a dangerous individual?”

“I do not need telling. I am aware.”

“You do know Cain’s going to take the credit for your hard work.”

“Our work. He can keep the credit. Gives your team chance to plan phase two. Enough of this fire show. Prince will be growing impatient.”

Casey leads the way to the edge of The Plaza where the over-turned cart is. Sure enough Prince is stood waiting. His raptor eyes watching for his partner in crime. “Hello handsome.” Casey mounts Prince and pats a space behind him.

I get on. As soon as I’m seated off Prince clatters.

As we rise, I loop my arms round Casey’s stomach. His muscles tense but after half a minute he relaxes. Then what happened in the tower hits. Casey found a way to save me without compromising Kensington or our home. If he’d not come, I’d still be shivering on that platform fretting about how to free myself.

We break through the barrier and whoa there’s a huge white globe illuminating the whole sky. Soo pretty. I’ve never seen a full moon until this very moment. The stars there’s billions of them twinkling like freshly polished tiny spear heads. Prince flies slow, allowing us to admire the view. Is this a date? Feels like one. We’ve never been on a special outing together before.

“Thanks for fetching me, Case. I was getting hysterical by myself, up there, chained up.”

“I thought you might be. You oughtn’t put yourself forward as a sacrifice because I am never going to let anyone retain you no matter the circumstances.”

“How adorably loyal of you.”

“Not at all. You’re with me. Meaning I am the only one who can hold you prisoner. Did the witch take much blood?”

“Two test tubes full. Made me light headed.”

“Poor pretty boy. Are you light headed now?”

“Sleepy is all. Hungry too. I haven’t had any dinner.”

“Really? What poor manners Midnight has, not giving her projects their dinner. I’d take you to a noodle bar in Chinatown, but I’m not dressed to go.”

“Can we go for noodles in the week sometime just you and me?”

“A like you and I meal?”

“Sure silly. It’s called a date.”

“If that’s what you want to call it. There’s no need to get slushy.”

“You don’t like the word date, do you? Okays then an Al and Case outing it is. Would you like to go on an Al and Case outing to a noodle bar Friday evening with me?”

“Alright I will join you.”

This is a magical ending to a rotten night. The day was going well until Midnight showed up. I yawn then shake off my tiredness. Span out my arms like a gliding eagle. The night sky is a new world to a daytime one.

“What are you doing back there?”

“Soaring. Does Prince do loop the loops?”

“We’ve never tried before.”

“Best not try yet then. Easier to practise without a passenger.”

Making a clacking noise like skeletal laughter Prince shoots upwards turning our slow flight wild. I giggle because Casey’s still not a one hundred percent flier and ends up grabbing round Prince’s neck. We’re so high up the air’s gone super thin. I take in long slow breaths then whoosh Prince drops. My arms re-loop round Casey’s stomach because I’m not used to riding a free falling skeletal. Here comes the barrier. We’re soon through. Skeletal claws touch down on the highest hill close to our house. Prince runs down the hill at full speed towards the house. Lights are lit in the lounge. I don’t think he’ll stop in time. He’ll end up charging right over the veranda and crash through the shut door. He doesn’t. Slows down by doing a lap round the house. Successfully stops at the veranda steps.

“Hillcrest,” shouts Geordie from on top of the roof, where he is posted keeping watch.

“This sounds ominous.” Casey gives Prince’s head a thank you scratch then dismounts, bracing himself for a lecture.

Geordie swings down from the roof. “I told you no night flights tonight. I thought you were sulking in your room.”

“Hillcrests do not sulk.”

“Can I smell smoke?” Geordie notices me but before he can comment a bottle of lighter fluid and lighter are thrown at him.

“Consider mission light up Spindle Tower accomplished. Well Midnight at least is missing a roof and staircase. Do not gape it is unsightly.”

“What have you done? I told you I trusted Al to take down Midnight from the inside.”

“Maybe he was capable perhaps not. Either way I could not stand the wait, wondering if he was getting his head drilled into. No need to explode I covered my tracks. Team Geordie’s hands aren’t sullied.”

“Fire, fire,” I say.

“Fire, fire!” yells Casey. “Cain Dacota’s set Corey West on fire. Assassinated him. Fire, fire!” Here comes the naughty smile. “You can plan phase two of your turf war in peace. Now if you do not mind I need to get rid of the smell of smoke in my hair.”

“He’s summat else,” musters Geordie on the verge of being speechless as Casey struts into the house, tugging off his bandanna as he goes, swishing his fringe back into place. “Thought he was in his room. Could have gotten lots of people killed.”

“Case is a law unto himself. There’s no restraints when someone threatens his crew.”

“I’m guessing that goes double for his boyfriend.” Geordie holds my switchblades out to me. “I don’t think he’s gonna let you be an infiltrator Al lad. Aren’t you scared of how obsessed he is with you?”

“Not scared. Honoured.”

As I enter the house Sunshine bounds downstairs, almost bowls me over, then I receive a griffon hug. I’ve missed him millions and have only been away from him for a few hours. How could I have left Sunshine? I stroke him for a long while then go into the lounge where Danny’s sat by the armchair supping voddy. Hotaru must be hurt seen as he rarely ventures into the house. There he is curled up in a corner, one eye on me. Oh, I left my hood up. I brush it down.

“Back already,” exclaims Danny.

Charlie sits up straighter in the armchair. “Does this mean Midnight’s dead or taken in?”

“This means Case went through with stage one of our turf war.”

“By himself?” Charlie nearly leans out the armchair.

“Mostly. Spindle Tower is roofless.”

Danny fills his cup with voddy, passes it to me. I sit real close up to him. He swigs straight from the bottle. Usually I’d demand a mixer but after the evening I’ve encountered a mouthful of pure voddy is most welcome. Having blood sucked away makes me feel queasy. I wonder what will happen to my D.N.A.

“How are you and Hot?” I ask wanting to think of anything besides my blood being taken.

“I think I am mostly in shock,” admits Charlie. “Hotaru’s hurt more than me. Someone from logistics came to check him out at Kensington. He had to have stitches. I’m making sure he stays inside until he’s fully recovered.”

“Does he like warm milk? That always perks up Sunshine.”

Charlie moves to sit on the floor with Hotaru. Gives him a stroke. “I think he mostly needs sleep.”

Geordie joins us. His first action is to prise away Danny’s voddy bottle and snatch away my cup. Tips the whole lot into the fire. “You ain’t using poison as a depressant, it don’t work. Keep the hard stuff in the pub or at parties get me?” He sits with us. “We had a rough day today, but we don’t fold. We learn. What have you learnt today Al lad?”

“Stick with the team. Don’t try save everyone by myself with infiltrating nonsense.”

“Like it. Charlie boy?”

“No flying off in a temper when someone bests me in a debate.”

“Exactly. And Danny lad?”

“Don’t wait around for you to signal before I act. Go with gut instinct.”

“Did you learn anything today Geordie?” I ask.

“Sure.” Geordie smirks at Casey who is standing in the doorway. “No fear. Phase two: take over Kensington Palace.”

“What does taking over Kensington Palace mean?” asks Charlie.

“It means you’re gonna teach the sixth formers what we were taught about Thunders at Cloud High. Danny’s gonna make sure they can defend themselves while I teach them how to fight back. Hillcrest’s gonna flaunt Prince to get everyone used to skeletals. Al you inject the fun.”

“We’ve a patrol tomorrow and there’s lecturers in the way.”

“Screw patrol duty. Fuck their lecturers. Hillcrest where does the popular sixth form crowd hang out before school starts?”

“The Happy Coffee House from around eight o’clock to eight forty-five.”

“I’m not sure we should be involving students,” says Charlie.

“Sixth formers. And they need to know how to fight back. Midnight threatened them today. They’ll be scared. Hillcrest do you usually linger in doorways?” He grabs a cushion off the armchair, places it in our friendship circle, inviting Casey to sit with us. “If you have any more spur of the moment action taking moments you let me know. I’ll most likely follow them through with ya.”

“Just as well you didn’t trust my judgement tonight; you’d have only been a dead weight. Was a quick in out job.”

“Tell us how you rescued Al then. No exaggerating we need true details.”

“For starters it was not a rescue mission. Alex was on the inside by a window. I happen to be friends with a skeletal. That so-called General Midnight is an idiot if she did not expect some form of retaliation from me. This was exactly what we planned the other day. Al was my way in. I flew straight over to Spindle Tower with Prince. There’s so many skeletals flying round at night no one noticed me. I knocked on the window. I was hoping she was keeping Al where she keeps all her experiments. Al let me in. I cut him loose with pliers. Set the roof on fire. Al did the platform. We did the stairs together. I told some brute Cain had assassinated Corey West, when we got to the bottom of the stairs. Al ran for the doors demanding water. His hair was covered up by a grey hood. Everyone was moving so fast to put out the fire I doubt anyone will question my facade tonight. Afraid it was too busy outside to do The Hub. The totally absurd part of this story is why Al opened me the window without any hesitation. Did you guess it was me?”

I shake my head. “I was bored. Needed something to happen.”

Casey pinches me hard on top of the shoulder. “If it hadn’t been me you may well have found yourself in yet another predicament. Use your brain, dude.”

“Maybe I haven’t got one,” I say.