Teaser Trailer part 2

We are not in the future yet." Cleo said as she walked into the room. Black yoga pants and white tunic, always stopping in a casual fighting stance. The oddest thing about her wardrobe were the loops on her belt. They were made to hold different weaponry,  modular so that her little arsenal could be switched out to fit the occasion. 

       When Amberley and Gerald looked at Cleo they saw an unbelievably fit lady in her thirties. I saw the angel that had pierced her many years ago. The white aura burnt my eyes if I stared too long. A gaping wound in the chest that healed only slightly after years of hiding.  The broken wings that hung useless on the back told of the battle the angel was in.  The battle that it lost. 

      "Always changing boss, always dirty".  I lied with a smile.  I pretended to dance around an imaginary puddle of something just to make her feel better… that is if Cleo could feel anything.

     "Gerald has still not reported in" Cleo continued. "I knew it was a mistake to send him there. Amberley would have drawn less attention."

      "Gerald is fine. " I repeated my assurances from last night. "You knew we needed to draw attention and that is Gerald's specialty."

      "We need him for the festival. Nothing works unless we have the four." 

       "Yeah, I wouldn't sweat it. If I learned anything, Essie is almost always right and Gerald is the biggest idiot." Amberley said. Was she making herself a cocktail? "Actually those two things cancel each other out." She added as she sipped her drink.

      "Gerald is fine." I moved to the kitchen. Opening the pantry. My Tupperware of kale chips remained unmolested.

       "I wish I could be as confident." Cleo added again. "We are entering deep waters and none of us are truly prepared for that level of engagement."

        "What evs, I am totally prepared." Amberley added.

         Thankfully the phone rang. There was no reason for our conversation to continue towards a very predictable destination. Cleo's movement was that of a caged animal. She grabbed at the old and very outdated landline.

        "Hello?  What?  Yes I accept the charges." Cleo sighed. "Gerald? Yes good, you were late with your response."

        I casually moved over dodging pretend bits of ick as I moved. I reached and hit the speaker button.

        "Right, well I ran into a bit more than anticipated didn't I? I didn't really survive, more like lucked out.

        "Do you have a location?" Cleo asked. Classic Cleo, straight to the point.

         "I almost died!" Gerald said the pitch of his voice rising. "Ripped apart by rats and so many different pincery bugs."

       "We are glad you are okay Gerald." I added. "Some of us are even delighted "

        "Not me!" Amberley chimed in with her que. "You owe me for those smokes!"

        "The smokes were payment for the whiskey you drank without permission!" 

         "Well I drank the whiskey because you're an idiot!"

          "Children!" Cleo screamed like a very frustrated mother. "Focus! Gerald, you knew the risks. Did you find the location?"

           There was silence.  A long silence. Cleo had that effect on people. Noone wanted to be on her bad side. We knew the stories, fire and brimstone, salt statues, killing the firstborn. Cleo was not human. If you stared at that perfect *** for too long it was easy to forget. But when she is angry, it is hard not to notice."

         "No, I tried the boss but I couldn't get an exact location."

         Cleo sighed audibly.

         "But you did get something?" I asked, pretending again that I wasn't psychic. Did I know exactly what Gerald discovered? No, my ability wasn't that precise. But it did give me a talent for reading people even over the phone.

         "Yeah I got a bit. We are looking for an arch Cultist.

         "A what?" Amberley asked. "I didn't play dungeons and dragons."

          "A wizard who has reached the level of an arch mage and runs a cult." Cleo stated quickly. "Go on." She said to Gerald.

           "Right, continuing from where I was rudely interrupted. Arch Cultist, gathering components for an awakening spell for some mystery being that is from another plane."

            "Which plane?" Cleo asked.

            "I didn't ask but I doubt my "contact" knew. She didn't even know who it was." Gerald said. He cleared his throat.  "She did give a bit of a clue for free. She brought up that swarm demon we fought three years ago. It might have been her cousin or something. I think it was a soft spot. That and the thing I did to her sister."

            A gestalt is made of many things forming one. Did he just say? Way to go Gerald!

            "That does give us something though Gerald. Good job." I said quickly before a frowning Cleo could open her mouth.

            "Not a lot but yes it does give us something." Cleo nodded. Her glare now clearly focused on me. "Come back to HQ. I should have new missions when you arrive."

           "Sure thing boss." Gerald added.

           Cleo hung up the phone without saying goodbye. She turned and stared at me.  I put my hands on my hips and smiled. 

        "You need to stop undermining my authority." Cleo added darkly.

        I adjusted my gown. "Not undermining, filling in the blanks. Gerald is not fodder. Amberley is not fodder. I am not…."

       Cleo hissed and the room shook. I stopped talking. I raised my barriers and put my hand to my eye patch.

       "Hey amigas!" It was Amberley. Sweet innocent lite Amberley. "We are not going to be saving the world from anyone if we claw our own eyes out. Let's chill, no one needs to be a Gerald today. Well no one except Gerald."

        "Quite right." Cleo said. "All four of us are needed. I wouldn't risk that. I just need you to trust me. "

          "I do trust you Cleo." I added.  "But we are not soldiers. I have seen too much death. I know life can't be taken for granted." I let my hand fall away from my eye patch.

           "And unless we are willing to die to stop the ballet, then everyone's life is at risk." Cleo pointed out. Why did they always forget?

           "I am psychic!" I shouted.  "I see the future! Four more deaths isn't going to change shit. Find a new plan, a new focus or all of this for nothing."

          I made a straight line to the door and was out before Cleo could give a retort. My body trembled as I took a step into the hallway. It was filthy, full of phantom gore yet to come.  I let myself relax and took a few more steps. 

        "Amberly I know you are there." I added quietly.

         "Chica, where did that come from? Cleo might be dead. She just stopped moving."

         "Sorry, too much of a Gerald?" I said, allowing a smile to pass on my lips.

          "Whatever, Gerald doesn't have balls like that." Amberley added. "It was bad ***, totally harsh but bad ***."

          "Well thank you, Amberley." I said. "I am sorry but Cleo needs to know the truth."

          "Dude, I think she already does. You may be psychic, but I lived on the run for years, I got good at reading people. She was worried about Gerald. She worries about all of us.  A big ol celestial mother hen. She is just starting to express it….differently? " Amberley gave me a smile.

          I shook my head. "You don't know, you don't see what I see Amberley."

          "We know the future is crap babe! You have told us! But like Cleo said, if this is a festival we don't even have tickets. This is major league and we are playing on the streets with no pads during rush hour! You are right, things need to change but that change comes with us working together as the Midnight Quartet."

         "No one uses that name except for you." I added with a chuckle. "But despite mixing your music metaphors and your sports metaphors, I get your point. I will be good."

         "No you will be awesome." Amberley added, coming in with a quick hug. "I am going to hold down the fort. Where are you going?"

         "You know me," I danced around some of the gore. "There is a red head in a luxury apartment that has some very expensive dresses." I winked and danced down the hallway towards my rendezvous.

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