Blood Engines(96)

 

B got off the bus near Chinatown, and walked to the street that hid the Celestial’s shop.

 

 

 

 

 

“I don’t know when I’ve been more terrified,” Cole said, as Marla slipped into a narrow space between a bus and a taxi.

 

“I hate driving,” she said, and changed lanes again to get around the cab, which wasn’t going fast enough for her taste. “I’m not very good at it.” She reached for the gearshift, which wasn’t there, because the minivan she’d stolen was an automatic. She nearly threw it into reverse before she noticed. “Shit,” she said. “I wish you could drive.”

 

“Automobiles were essentially novelty items when I last had occasion to travel,” Cole said. “I have never been inside one before, and I can say with assurance that I have never moved at such speeds when I was not actually flying. Even if you were a good driver, I would be terrified.” He gripped the edges of his seat with both hands, but otherwise didn’t seem particularly frightened.

 

“We’re safe,” Marla said. “I cast a strong repulsion on the car, to keep the police from bothering me for speeding, and also to help prevent accidents. See?” She swerved left, dangerously close to a silver SUV, which braked suddenly and jigged away from her. “It’s literally impossible for another car to hit us. Though I could still conceivably slam into a wall or something—you know, hit stuff that can’t move out of the way.”

 

“I am quite relieved,” Cole said. Marla saw a sign for the airport and zoomed across two lanes to take the exit. Cole looked out at the system of overpasses and shook his head in wonder. “It’s amazing. I haven’t really looked at the city in almost forty years. Half my time walking around was just spent gazing at the changes, as much as looking in on you and the other sorcerers. Things have been built up tremendously.”

 

“I thought you went to sleep in 1910 or something.”

 

“Around then,” Cole said. “But I have, from time to time, opened my eyes and looked around to make sure the city was still standing.”

 

“What made you choose hibernation?”

 

“This city is my legacy, the only worthwhile thing I ever helped create. I wanted to see it flourish through the ages.” He looked at her sidelong. “Surely you can relate. You have a city of your own, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, Felport, back east,” Marla said. “It was pretty much built before I got there, but I’ve been trying to help it along the way to becoming something better. Which is why I don’t appreciate Susan trying to cut me out of existence.” She’d explained the particulars of her mission to Cole earlier in the drive, and he’d assured her that the Cornerstone could help protect her in the way she’d hoped. Marla hadn’t really doubted that, but it was nice to have confirmation.

 

“I hope she doesn’t try to cast the spell again while you’re driving,” Cole said. “If you disappear, I don’t think I’d have much hope of getting this vehicle under control.”

 

Marla nodded. “I hope she doesn’t try to cast it again, too, but for somewhat different reasons.”

 

“Mother of God,” Cole said, staring out the windshield.

 

Marla looked. A jetliner was rising into the sky at a steep angle. “Oh, right,” she said. “No commercial air travel when you were last up and about, huh?”

 

“Those things are common?” Cole said, craning his neck to watch the plane ascend.

 

“Oh, yeah. Hundreds of flights every day. Maybe thousands.”

 

“Is it safe?”

 

“Safer than driving, from what I understand,” Marla said, and whipped the car over into the lane marked “Arrivals,” forcing a BMW into scraping the guardrails in the process.

 

“Indeed,” Cole said. “Do we know where we’re going?”

 

“Right there,” Marla said, spotting Ch’ang Hao at the curb. He was dressed in a shapeless brown overcoat, and he sat on what appeared to be an antique steamer trunk, his elbows on his knees, his chin in his hands.

 

Marla parked the stolen minivan at the curb and climbed out. “Ch’ang Hao!” she said. “Sorry you had to wait. Rondeau got kidnapped, and I was in another universe.”

 

Ch’ang Hao stood up and nodded. “Normally I would doubt such excuses, but I trust you would not lie to me. There need be no lies between us. I would have made my way to you on foot, but…” He looked around, at the parking garage, the spiraling concrete ramps, and shrugged. “I could not get my bearings. I do not like being surrounded by so much concrete. And I did not enjoy flying.”