Chapter Fifty-Five - The Uncomplicated Art of Subtlety (According to Athena)

Athena had never seen Handshake before, so she wasn’t sure what to think of the guy before he showed up.

When he did, it was by pulling into the alleyway in a car that looked like it was relatively new. Not new in the sense that it was cool though. It was a white four-door sedan that could have belonged to any brand. It was the most boring car Athena had probably ever seen a hundred of.

The car came to a rolling stop before them, then the front door opened and a man stepped out.

Handshake, like his car, looked boring as heck.

He wore jeans and a sweater-vest, all in muted colours. His hair was cut in a boring non-style, and he even slouched a bit. He was like the living image of a boring person. If it wasn’t for the bandages covering him, and the domino mask perched over his nose, Athena might have dismissed him out of hand.

“He doesn’t look so tough,” Athena said.

The man came to a stop in front of his car, silhouetted by the headlamps with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. “Boss, Teddy,” he said. “Or should I call you Ursa Minor?”

“That’s my name when I’m being a fake hero,” Teddy said.

Big sister Emily placed a hand on Teddy’s shoulder.

Athena remembered what Big sister Emily said. Handshake was an information broker, he’d take all the information he could, so they had to be real subtle about things. It was a good thing that subtlety was Athena’s specialty.

“And... who’s this?” he asked while looking at Athena.

“Just a friend of the Boss,” Athena said. She crossed her arms, leather jacket creaking with the motion. “You can call me Athena.”

“Athena? Like the ancient Reek goddess?” He raised a hand out of his pocket and rubbed his chin. “Goddess of crafting, inventions, war, pottery, owls, often associated with wisdom. I wonder which aspect you’re supposed to represent?”

“If you pay me I might tell you,” Athena said.

Handshake snorted. “I might just,” he said before turning to Big sister Emily. “I didn’t expect three of you. Presuming that our littlest goddess here is coming with us?”

“She is,” Emily said. “It’s... nice to see you?”

“You don’t need to lie on my account,” he said. “If everyone’s ready, hop in. We can talk tactics on the way to the hotel.” Handshake turned and walked back over to the driver’s side. “Coming?”

Emily pushed Teddy towards the back of the car, so Athena started walking around it, passing behind and taking note of the car’s plates before shuffling past the plume of stinky smoke from the exhaust. She hopped into the seat behind Handshake’s and pulled her belt on.

She had to tuck it behind her because it passed right in front of her face.

“You mentioned a hotel?” Big sister asked as she buckled herself in.

“I did,” Handshake said. “Nothing fancy, I’m afraid. We, that is, the lot of us and our guest, have a conference room scheduled for us at the Oliday Inn.”

“Isn’t that a little public?” Big sister asked.

“That’s the idea, yes. We’re presuming that neither side wants to get the public involved. That means keeping a low profile. At the same time, having it be in a public place like this imposes some civility on both sides.”

“I think I get it,” Big sister Emily said. “I don’t really like the idea of being seen with a villain though.”

“Ah, yes, your hero persona. I wouldn’t worry overly much. I’m not a well known face in the public, but in our world people on both sides of the figurative fence know of and use my services.”

“Our world?”

“The world of heroes and villains,” Handshake said. “The real one, not the whitewashed and cleaned version the corps and government want people to see. I suppose calling it a world is a bit much.”

“I guess?” Emily said.

“It’s more of a community, separated from the rest of the world. And every year, on the same day, the community grows.” Handshake leaned forwards to see if any cars were coming from the road the alley opened up to. When it was clear he drove out and merged with the traffic.

“Is it really separate from the rest of the world?” Athena asked. “We still need to eat and some of us go to school and stuff like that.”

Handshake nodded. “That’s true. But a lot of powered individuals, myself not included I’m afraid, think that they are... I suppose superior would be the right word. Greater than normal people. More talented, or gifted, or deserving.”

“That makes sense,” Teddy said.

Athena blinked. “Aren’t you a communist?” she asked.

“Doesn’t mean I’m an idiot,” Teddy said. “If all my comrades could turn into cool bears, then it wouldn’t be a problem, but only I can do that. So I’m a little bit special. But that doesn’t mean that I deserve more.”

Athena rolled her eyes. “Right, whatever. I guess it makes sense that people with powers would think that they’re better.”

“It’s not an entirely illogical viewpoint,” Handshake said.

They turned off the road and into a big parking lot next to a tall but squat building with a big entranceway covered by an awning where a young man in a too-tight suit was standing. Handshake pulled the car to a park way off in a corner of the parking lot where it would be hard to spot, then he shut the car off.

Everyone got out.

The day was turning a bit chilly, and Athena sort of wished she had mittens on to cover her hands, but those wouldn’t have been tough looking. Instead she shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and wiggled them around to keep the blood flowing while she followed the others to the hotel.

The guy at the front--the valet?--jumped when he saw them coming, and hurried to open the door for them. “W-welcome to the Oliday Inn.” he squeaked as they moved on past.

“This way,” Handshake said as he walked right across the lobby without so much as a glance around. Not that there was much to see. The lobby had some fake plants and a big desk behind which sat a person with a smile on their lips but not in their eyes.

The few customers were all on benches next to a Free Wifi! poster. None of them noticed the four of them moving by.

The conference room they were going to meet the bad guy in was on the second floor. Handshake took the stairs, despite there being a perfectly usable elevator.

They walked down a corridor, then slipped into a room where Handshake turned around to face them. “Please close the door,” he said.

Athena, being the last one in, took a moment to look around first. It was a conference room alright, with a big table in the middle and a stack of chairs against one wall. “Alright,” she said before pulling the door shut.

“No, this isn’t the room we’ll be meeting Cement in,” Handshake said. “That’ll be deeper down. But I figured we’d cover a few things first.”

Big sister Emily nodded. “I was hoping we would,” she said.

“Wonderful. First, let’s look over the terms of our contract,” Handshake said.

“Our what?” Teddy asked.

Handshake smiled. “Our contract. I wouldn’t have you come here without first outlining the terms.”

“Sounds like some capitalistic nonsense to put you on top,” Teddy said. “Do you need some elitist lawyer sort to read it?”

“Um,” Handshake said.

Athena stepped up and caught his eyes. “What are your terms?” she asked while making the darkened corners of the room just ever so slightly more suspicious.

Handshake’s smile never wavered. “Our currency today is information. In exchange for guarding my person during the following meeting, and the short period subsequent to that meeting, I will be giving your group all the information about the group known as the... I think we called them the ‘Clowns’ to avoid speaking their name? As well as a thousand dollars per person who came to guard me. I have that much in my car. Do remind me later.”

Emily nodded. “Yes, that’s what we want.”

“Brilliant! Then in that case I think that deal is sealed.”

“Hey, wait,” Athena said. “Don’t we know a bit about them too? If we tell you and what we know better than what you know, then we’ll be doing work for free.”

Athena really hoped that she hadn’t just foiled one of big sister’s plans. But then Emily nodded and she felt better. “Athena’s right,” Emily said. “What if information on its own isn’t enough? The money is nice, but, um, we want more.” Athena’s big sister altered the deal, her voice trembling with barely suppressed anger.

“What more could you want?” Handshake asked.

Emily paused for a moment, then her eyes set and she looked very determined for a moment. “The location of a safehouse in or around the city. And some monetary compensation for our role guarding you.”

Handshake tapped his chin. “I could do the safehouse, if you allow me access to anyone housed in it. Assuming someone does use the location within the next... call it thirty days?”

Emily considered, then nodded. “Okay.”

“Then let’s shake on it,” Handshake said. “Your protection, to the best of your ability, in exchange for one thousand each, the location of a safe house which I have access to, valid for thirty days, and information on a certain group codenamed the ‘clowns.’”

He reached out his hand.

Emily shook.

And then something tightened around Athena’s heart.

***