Najia stood at the edge of the road. Just across on the other side was the storm drain they had been searching out. A combined sewer drain, as Maru had explained to them. It consisted of water from storms and sewage, which were then separated with a damn that allowed the water to run off into a near by body of water while the waste went to a sewage plant. Maru had assured them that they would likely not have to deal with any particular kind of waste, or even go near any sewage plants for that matter. She was certain the Shadow People would stay away from those areas as well.
Marlon and Gil peered into the drain, confirming that it was safe to open as Maru prepared the machine that would be traveling the many tunnels. Najia felt Shane’s elbow jabbing her hard in her side. She shot a glare towards him as she rubbed the aching area. “What?”
“I asked you a question,” he said rolling his eyes.
“Oh. What?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m not about to go trouncing through shit,” she muttered.
“What? No. I meant about Nox.”
“Huh?” She was so focused on the disgusting sewer drain that she had almost forgotten about her encounter with the leader of the Shadow People. “Oh.” She shrugged. “Yeah. I’m fine. It’s fine.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you saw him?”
“I did.”
“No,” Shane said slowly. “John told me.”
Najia sighed. She rubbed her temple. “It wasn’t a big thing.”
“Not a big thing?” Shane stared at her. “The thing that tortured you endlessly just waltzes back up to you, demands that you hand over some sword, let’s you go without a fight when you refuse, and it’s not a big thing?”
“What can I say?” she muttered. “He was feeling kind.”
“As soon as that sword is ready,” Shane said, “I’m gonna kill him.”
“No,” Najia said quickly. She hesitated when she felt his gaze on her. “You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Rasmodius has to,” she said. “You know, magic and stuff.”
Shane crossed his arms. “Well, that takes all the fun out of everything.”
Najia watched as Maru finally lowered the tiny bot into the sewer. Maru leaned over the edge, peering inside as the bot came to life and immediately began the work that Maru had programmed into its system. Maru got to her feet and sighed. “It’s done.”
“Now what?” Shane asked. “We wait for data?”
Maru nodded. “Could be a couple of months before it makes it back,” she said. “If it makes it back.”
“Let’s hope it does,” Gil muttered.
“I’m pretty sure the Shadow People won’t notice it,” Maru said. She shrugged. “But, its out of my hands, now.”
“So,” Shane said. “That’s it?”
“That’s it,” Maru confirmed.
“Exciting.” Shane made his way down the road and towards the Trans Am. The rest of their little group followed suit, eager to get back in the protection of the valley. Najia slid into the front seat as Maru slid into the back.
They drove in silence until they reached the edge of the mountain range. They followed the Hummer through their familiar path through the mountains and into the valley, grateful to be greeted by the bright sunshine once more.
“Why are you being so quiet?” Najia asked finally, turning to Shane.
“I’m not quiet.”
“You’re quiet,” Maru confirmed.
Shane glanced up in the rear view mirror, meeting her gaze briefly before turning his eyes back to the road. “Well, excuse me,” he said in a mocking voice. “What do you want me to say?”
“Hi,” Najia said. “Welcome back. How was your trip?”
“It sounded exciting.”
“You missed out. The city is beautiful this time of year.”
“I bet. Full of evil, glowing eyes.”
“We met Nox,” Najia said casually, though he already knew.
“You don’t say?” Shane was really phoning in the sarcasm now. “Well, gosh, that sounds swell.”
“He invited us for tea.”
“Did he now?”
“And then threatened to end our lives.”
“That Nox,” Shane said, pushing the sarcasm further, a fake grin plastered on his face. “Always been a jokster.”
“What’s the deal with that sword, anyway?” Maru asked.
Najia sighed. “He wants it so we can’t use it to bring the light back.”
“No, not that one,” Maru said. “The one he had.”
Najia looked out the window, ignoring Shane’s glare. “The Obsidian Sword,” she said simply. “The dark sword.”
“Dark and light? What is this, a video game? Good versus evil?”
Najia shrugged. “Something like that.”
“Rasmodius will take care of that,” Shane said. “Right?”
He suspected. He always did. There wasn’t hiding anything from him. “Right.”
And he wasn’t about to let it go, either, when they got back to the valley.
“Can we stop playing this game?” Shane said to Najia as he followed her back to the farm.
“There’s no game,” Najia said simply.
“You’re hiding something like you always do.”
Najia turned to him and pinched her lips together. “I promise, I’m not. Okay?”
He didn’t look convinced, but his face softened. “Fine,” he muttered.
“Did you even miss me?” Najia pressed playfully.
Shane scoffed. “Not at all. The peace and quiet was nice.”
Najia rolled her eyes. “I bet it was.”
Shane shrugged. “It was a little weird without my sidekick.”
Najia raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah? I’m the sidekick?”
“The Robin to my Batman.”
Najia shook her head. “No, no, I don’t think so. You’re totally Aqua Man.”
“Aqua Man sucks,” Shane whined. “How about Iron Man?”
“You wish you were Iron Man.”
Shane smirked. “Yeah, that would be great.”
“I’m Batman,” Najia said sternly. “You’re the Boy Wonder.”
“Okay,” Shane said in an attempt to negotiate. “How about, I’m Superman, and you’re Lois Lane.”
“Lois Lane isn’t even a super hero,” Najia said. “I’d be Wonder Woman. She don’t need no man to save her.”
“Fine,” Shane said. “Go take a ride in your lame ass invisible plane.”
Najia smirked. “Well, I missed this,” she said. “Maru and Sebastian spent most of the time arguing with each other.”
“What do you want me to say? That I was worried about you? ‘Cause I wasn’t.”
Najia shrugged. “Fine, you weren’t. I don’t care.”
“I didn’t think you wanted me to be.”
“I don’t.”
“Okay, then.”
“Fine.”
“I think this is the part where you kiss me,” Shane said.
Najia wrinkled her nose. “Why would I do that?”
“Why not?”
“You just want to get laid,” Najia said. “Playing your little mind games so you don’t-”
Shane’s lips pressed against hers for a moment before he pulled away.
“Is this what we do, now?” Najia muttered.
“I missed -”
Najia pressed her lips into him. “Shut up,” she muttered against him.
Shane wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as tiny snow flakes began to fall around them.
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