“Jesus Christ,” Em said as we left the police station. “They acted like we were criminals.”

“That’s because they think we’re criminals,” I said. “They didn’t have a damn thing to do with that deal, and they didn’t like it.”

As soon as we’d signed the contract with D.A. Atwood, she had us transported to the station to give our statements. As a courtesy, of course. I supposed since the cops didn’t shoot us on sight, that counted as a courtesy for them. The questioning was fucking brutal, and I don’t think Rawlins bought what Em and I were selling.

Our plan was to stick to the truth insofar as the non-genie stuff went. Where my powers were involved, though, we had to be inventive. But, every time we tried to obfuscate, Rawlins jumped on us.

“Rawlins is a prick,” I said.

Em looked into the distance and didn’t reply right away. “He’s just doing his job. I mean, can you imagine the pressure he’s probably under right now?”

“I guess you’re right,” I said. “I really don’t want to look at this shit from someone else’s perspective, but you’re right.”

We walked a few steps before I realized we didn’t have a way back to the bank. “Fucking bastards! They could have at least given us a ride back.”

Footsteps sounded behind me, and I turned to see Rawlins trotting down the steps. He was fishing his keys from his pocket, clearly heading our way. We stopped and waited for him to catch up.

“Sorry, guys,” he said. “I just realized you might need a ride back to the bank.”

“A chance for one more round of interrogation?” I said

Em swatted me. “Stop it.”

Rawlins didn’t miss the byplay. “I get it, I really do, but let’s talk in my car. Please?”

I gestured for him to lead, and we followed him to what I assumed was his personal car. There were no markings, and I couldn’t make out the tell-tale antenna, or hidden lights of an official police vehicle. I also didn’t think Austin P.D. would commission a Ford Focus.

He opened the back door for me and then helped Em into the front seat. Either he was chivalrous, or he just didn’t want to be any closer to me than necessary. He paused before starting the car and looked back at me.

“You’re right in a way. I wanted to talk to you both again, but outside the police environment. Just so you know, I’m not recording any of this, and everything you say is off the record.”

“What exactly does that mean?” Em asked.

“It means I can’t do anything with the information you give me while in this car,” Rawlins said. “It would be entrapment.”

“And I suppose your honor is going to hold you to that?” I said.

Rawlins slammed a fist against the steering wheel. “I’m getting pretty damn sick of your shit. I’ve been professional and as polite as I can. If you don’t want to talk, get the fuck out of my car!”

I was already opening the door when Em spoke. “David, close the door. You’re acting like an ass.”

Even if I wanted to disobey, I couldn’t. My muscles acted without my permission and slammed the door shut. Rawlins started the car and pulled us out of the parking lot. I sat in the back pouting like a toddler who’d just been told the Tooth Fairy wasn’t real.

“What did you want to talk about, Rawlins?” Em said.

“Call me Mike,” Rawlins said. “I want to start by saying you’re both full of shit. But,” he continued before I could protest, “I don’t think you’re lying about your involvement.”

“Well, Mike,” I said with as much sarcasm as I could. “what are we lying about then?”

“Mike,” Em said, “If David keeps this up, feel free to taser him. Maybe some shock therapy will make him shut up.”

Rawlins smiled, but I sat still. Em’s voice held none of the playfulness I was used to. She must be seriously pissed. She was also an outstanding judge of character and seemed to appreciate Rawlins’s position. Maybe I could trust her judgment on this one. I couldn’t tell if I was acting out of my own spite, or if my genie instincts were leading me, but either way, there really was no excuse.

“I’m sorry, Mike,” I said. “Em’s right, as usual. I’m just pissed off at the whole situation, and I don’t like being treated like a criminal.”

“Even criminals don’t like being treated like criminals,” Rawlins said. “but it’s my job to do it.”

I looked out the window as Rawlins drove. We weren’t taking the same route back. We pulled up to a light, and I could see scorched asphalt in the intersection where the bus had exploded. I thought about Kevin and Beth. Their lives had changed that night as well; way more than mine had. Mike turned onto Congress Avenue, and I could see homeless people huddled against the buildings. I wondered how Steven was doing. Despite my thoughts, I didn’t want him to die. At least, not anymore now that I wasn’t overcome with anger and fear.

Orange barrels and cones blocked off another intersection. Heavy equipment worked to clear the wreckage of Dev-Tech, and the surrounding buildings. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people, wouldn’t have jobs anymore. Were they any less important than me? And what about the families forced to deal with the loss of a loved one? Did they count for nothing? Em started crying, and I reached over her seat and put my hand on her shoulder. We had friends in that building. Did any of them survive, and why hadn’t I thought of them until now?

“I think you’re starting to get the picture,” Rawlins said when my own tears started to fall. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in what’s happening to us. It makes us forget about the rest of the world, but the rest of the world still exists. And it hurts just as much as we do when bad shit happens.”

“Call your boss,” I said, “take the rest of the day off, and I’ll give you the whole story.”

“Are you sure?” Em said.

Rawlins picked up his phone and started dialing. “On the record?”

“No,” I said when he finished the call. “Take us out of the city. Somewhere secluded and peaceful.”

Rawlins didn’t argue or push. He turned us onto the interstate, and we drove for a long time. We all seemed to be lost in our own thoughts as the miles flew by. Em shook me awake sometime later, and I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere secluded,” Rawlins said. “Emily told me you liked the coast, so we thought you might enjoy some time on the beach.”

It was too dark to see, but I heard the waves washing over the sand. I listened to the call of a seagull in the distance, and the wind rocked the car gently from side to side. My legs ached, and my back was stiff from the long ride. I groaned as I got out of the vehicle.

I saw the lights of Bob Hall Pier stretching out into the water. Based on how far away it was, I guessed we were at access road 1A, maybe as far as access road 2.

“Mustang Island?” I asked, though, I didn’t really need to.

“Yup,” Em said. She seemed like she was in a much better mood. “Mike and I talked once you conked out. He thought some peace and quiet would help you get everything off your chest.”

“I’m going to go answer the call of nature,” Rawlins said. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Did you tell him about…you know—” I said.

“No,” Em said. “We mostly talked about his job and…other things.”

“Other things?’ I said.

Em looked away. “It’s nothing to worry about. He helped me deal with things a little better. Kinda gave me a shoulder to cry on.”

“I’m sorry, Em,” I said. “I should have realized.”

“It’s ok,” Em said. “You were busy keeping us alive and keeping everyone at arm’s length. For what it’s worth, I think we can trust Mike. You’re doing the right thing by telling him.”

“Well,” I said, “we’re going to find out what kind of person he really is in a bit. Once he finds out that I’m a fucking genie, who knows how he’ll react. You know we’re going to have to prove it to him, right?”

“Yeah,” Em said. “But I don’t think that’ll be an issue.”

Rawlins came back a few minutes later, shaking his hand. “Fucking wind. There should be a law against blow-back.”

“I’ve got two conditions,” I said. “No matter what you see or hear, no talking until I’m done, and you will swear an oath to me that you never speak about tonight unless I give you permission.”

“An oath?” Rawlins said,” what are we, knights now?”

I’d mulled over this ever since my encounter with Haliniel and Rockslide. Haliniel had asked me to swear to him, not bond to him, but he’d also said I’d be bound to the Malak. The emissaries couldn’t lie, so his choice of words had to mean something. It put me in the mind of a binding oath. And if I could make an oath to someone, maybe I could have someone make one to me.

“Those are my conditions,” I said. “Take it or leave it.”

“Shall I take a knee, my lord?” Rawlins said.

“Two peas in a pod,” Em said.

“I, Mike Rawlins, swear to David Jinn that no word of this day will be spoken by me to anyone unless he gives me permission to do so.”

Rawlins wavered for a moment, and I felt a prickle in my chest. A tiny opalescent thread connected me to Rawlins. It was less substantial than the gold link between Em and me, and I knew I could not use it to compel him, but if he ever broke his oath, the link would break as well. It might even hurt Rawlins in the process. Em looked between us. She probably guessed what had just happened.

“What the fuck?” Rawlins said.

“No questions,” I replied.

Em slapped my shoulder. “You’re being an ass again. It’s okay, Mike. Just relax, it’s going to get a lot weirder than that.”

“It’s a little chilly,” I said. “Em, how about you wish for a campfire?”

She did so, and a blazing campfire appeared in the sand. Rawlins’s shock satisfied me immensely. I looked at my handiwork and decided no campfire could genuinely be called such without blankets and smores, so I made those as well. Oh, what the hell, a cooler of beer popped into existence too. Goddamn, it felt good to be using my powers for something so inconsequential.

Rawlins’s eyes moved between the fire, ice chest, blankets, and smores fixings. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him so out of sorts. Em helped him to a blanket, and he sat down. The fire was warm and cast a pleasant light. I wasn’t in a hurry, so I grabbed a skewer and roasted a marshmallow. Rawlins and Em did the same, and, for a while, all we did was eat some motherfucking smores and drink beer.

“So,” I said after a while. “I’m a genie.”