Enhance: Chapter 16

“Get up guys.” Feint said to the barely lit hotel room. No one was reacting but she knew they had heard her. She shook her head slowly and went first to push Yumi off the bed. She started and had to catch herself.

“What the fuck?” She grumbled.

“I said get up.” She said simply and laughed. “We have a house to go see remember?”

She groaned and reached for the bed but the magic was lost. She wasn’t awake but she was more conscious than before. Getting up slowly, she stretched and yawned.

Feint walked over to Phase and rubbed his shoulder slowly. He budged and started almost falling out of his seat. Getting his balance and looking around and stretched limbs. He rubbed his eyes slowly and turned his gaze to look at her.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Early. A little after five.” She suppressed a yawn.

He nodded and got up, his movements sluggish. Taking another moment to himself he stood up and then looked toward Shade who was waking up on his own.

They were for the most part silent as they moved around. They were not early morning people. At least not this time of the morning. They were leaving their mask behind and a few of their more exuberant pieces of equipment.

Phase opened the window wide and let in the chill of the morning fall air. He leaned forward then climbed out. Grabbing the edge of the window he started a climb toward the top of the hotel.

When the four of them were together and shivering on the roof Phase took a step back. “Alright, you two have been there. We have haven’t. So, lead the way.”

Shade glanced at Feint and she nodded. Walking forward she ran before jumping off the edge and then landed on the nearby building. It was a slow journey, no tricks being done outside of just running. The longer they ran the more sleep was starting to shake off.

As always Yumi was the first to really kick things off. She surged forward going past Feint. When she hit the edge of the building she flipped turning around and kicking her legs out before landing on her hands. Flipping backwards she stumbled for a second and started laughing.

Shade dashed forward sinking into the shadows for a second. Feint and Phase fell into step doing their own thing. Feint stepped over an exhaust fan before jumping and her body wavered. Turning see through for a moment she floated upward as if she weighed nothing.

From up here she could see the city’s beauty. No lights, no possible smog, no sound. It stole her breath away. She quickly reached into her pocket, getting her phone out. Taking a sloppy picture she felt gravity starting to reaffirm its grip on her.

As she fell she could see Shade dashing around on the rooftops. Spinning and darting past signs and satellite dishes. Despite his powers working, from this angle he was visible. Whether that was because of the lack of shadows or an aerial view she wasn’t sure. She’d have to ask him about it.

Yumi was right next to him hopping and jumping over anything in her path. She’d rather go over her obstacles than around them. Placing both her hands down she hopped over a short wall. Closing her legs together she flipped forward over a long skylight. As Yumi’s face went skyward her eyes found Feint and managed to pull off a wave.

Feint waved back before landing on the rooftop beside her. The pair of them stumbled running forward again jumping together onto the other side. Suddenly, as they were in the air, Phase surged through them and spun. He was fizzling in and out of clarity.

Swinging his legs forward he hopped forward and then landed heavily. With narrowed eyes he turned his head toward the train tracks. Shade, Yumi, and Feint landed beside him. Shade glanced at Feint. Feint shuddered for a second but nodded.

“You sure?”

“As sure as I can be.”

“Alright so here’s the plan. See that train.” He pointed forward and they easily were able to keep track. “We need to get on that.”

“You know none of us have cards for that. And I didn’t bring spare change.” Yumi even pulled out her pockets to showcase that.

He scoffed. “Of all of us you’re thinking too inside the box Yumi. Follow my lead.” Shade leaned forward and then slid down the edge of the building. Getting low enough he pushed off the wall and jumped hard closing the distance.

They landed on the awning above the tracks and the ground started vibrating as the train approached. They walked slowly and watched as the train pulled into the station. Waiting a moment, they listened as an automatous voice informed them that the doors were opening.

“Let’s move.” Shade said hopping forward. One by one they followed his lead and landed on the back of the train. It lurched forward and they stumbled crouching to keep balance. Shade and Feint, who had been through this before, found their groove. Phase was cautiously standing trying to get his balance and smiled. Yumi on the other hand was standing right up. Throwing her arms into the air she laughed with joy.

“Come on losers!” she said shouting at them.

Phase rolled to his eyes and got to his feet, it easier than he thought. Shade watched him and did the same, which left Feint. She cast a fast glance at the both of them and shook her head. Phase caught her gaze and took a few steps back extending her hand.

She took it hesitantly and then he pulled her up. She wobbled for a second, gripping his arm even harder. But she was standing up and almost immediately saw the appeal. Feint glanced at her phone keeping track of their progress and pointed.

“Let’s get off here.” Taking a shaky step forward, the train took another turn. She leaned forward and then jumped. Because she was on a moving object she misjudged the distance a bit but she caught the edge of a ledge. Grunting and taking a breath she started to climb.

Once she got to the top of the building she threw herself over and then moved to sit on the edge of it. She watched as Shade, Yumi and Phase climbed after her. They got to the top of the roof and basked in the morning sun and the morning cold. Sneezing into her hand Yumi groaned.

“God I hate the cold.”

“You should really get warmer clothes,” Phase looked at each of them. “We all should.”

“Agreed.” Shade said and shivered. He took a step forward to the edge of the roof and narrowed his eyes trying to focus. “There it is.”

They walked toward the edge of the roof and gazed at the top of the complex. Yumi whistled as she jumped across toward the balcony. As they walked inside Yumi paused for a moment her mouth hanging agape. “Holy shit.” She walked and spread her arms at the space. She looked toward the den above them and attempted to jump toward it but decided the ground floor had priority.

She started walking down one of the side hallways and disappeared from view. Phase jumped up into the den and saw a small corner that would be good for a chair, the window that went out toward the roof and the staircase that connected them. “Darren picked this out right?”

Feint joined him and nodded, “I like it. We need to have space for us.”

“What territory is it on?” Phase asked as he glanced toward Shade.

“From what I saw on the way over it’s mostly unclaimed. Though I think the Vanguard have been making a move for it.”

Yumi shouted from down the hall. “They’re gonna regret even trying that!”

Phase glanced over the banister and then looked down. Yumi was walking back toward them and she looked pleased. However, Phase arched his eyebrow slowly. “Hey Yumi, you’ve got a follower.”

She blinked and then turned around. As she did that she stared at a dog. It had matted and missing fur in places. It was a black and tan colored creature, this side of large. On the one hand it was thin and shaking while on the other it’s eyes were distrustful. It was growling at them baring its teeth.

“The fuck do you want?” Yumi asked looking at it.

Phase hopped over the banister and landed in a crouch. As he walked toward it and the dog instantly barked. In this empty place it was loud and echoing. Phase paused for a moment and glanced at Yumi. “What’s it doing here?”

“No idea. But it needs to get out of here,” Folding her arms, she glared at the dog which doubled down and barked at her.

“It looks like a Rottweiler.” Shade said as he approached but kept his distance.

With the addition of a third person the dog’s growling went up a notch or two. Phase looked at it and then glanced back at Yumi and Shade. “Back off for a moment.”

They looked at him and then the dog before doing it. They both walked off and went to the side hallways. That left Feint up top and Phase down below with the Rottweiler. With one person left to focus on, the dog continued it’s growling but not as fiercely.

Phase took a step forward and the growling intensified. So Phase backed off. However he kept eye contact with the dog. He knew that this wasn’t the proper reaction to a defensive animal but he had an idea.

Staring at the dog he took a step forward and the dog hesitated. Phase took another hesitant step forward and the dog wanted to growl, wanted to bark but it wasn’t.  Phase kept his slow pace forward until he was kneeling in front of the canine.

It growled again but lower this time. Phase reached out forward and the dog barked snapping at his hand. But he phased through it and the dog stared at his hand perplexed. It sniffed at his hand a few times still not sure. The hostility had been taken away by just perplexed confusion.

Phase let his hand remain solid and the dog licked his finger slowly and then backed away. While it did that he observed it closely. He saw the wounds, closer. Some looked like bites and scratches. Others looked like they came from beatings and collars. How had this dog gotten them? How had it even ended up here? Questions the dog wasn’t going to be able to answer.

“So are you the dog whisperer now?”

Phase rolled his eyes at her but focused on the dog that watched the others warily but focused on him, “Honestly I don’t know.”

Yumi scowled “We are not keeping it”

Phase thought for a moment on that one. “It was here first. Plus I like it.”

The dog stayed stationary and didn’t move but its eyes were moving back and forth between them. It was shaking slightly and he could see its ribs. “You look like you were abandoned here. You’re going to need food. Wonder which room you normally slept in.”

“For real? We’re giving the dog it’s own space?” Yumi said and folded her arms.

“Just let me work with it.” He said and turned back toward the dog. He started to come close and the dog growled again but it died away after a few extended seconds. It sniffed at his hand again and licked it gently staring at him intently.

Yumi shook her head, annoyed by the developments but conceded to him. “Anyway, I like this place. It’s open. And airy. Feels homier. Plus I call the first room on the left in the hallway.” She shrugged.

“Well put.” Shade rolled his eyes. “Eloquent you are not.”

She punched his arm lightly and then glanced up at Feint. “It got your say so?”

“Mmhm. What do you say Phase? Should we tell Darren?”

“Go ahead.” Phase stood up finally and went toward the balcony window opening the door wide Yumi and Shade followed suit and Yumi stretched. He turned around to look at the dog as it watched them. He smiled and closed the door behind them.

Yumi groaned at the cold and said, “I want to eat something, then nap. Got the fight tonight.”

“Yeah you do.” Phase said and walked out across the balcony. Phase went to the edge of the balcony and thought about living here. Coming back here every night with them. Running in and out, meeting on the roof or the balcony. Movies and more. He liked it.

He looked over at Shade, “Gotta ask to be sure. You do want to move in and live with us, right?”

“Trying to get rid of me now?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” they laughed together. “Welcome to the family.”