Jealous Storm, Jack Stroke [best sci fi novels of all time .txt] 📗

sheet. The door opened. Amber froze. Just Vaughan.

“Come on, slowcoach,” he said.

She sent a cold, unimpressed snarl his way.

“Hey, you know who this is, don’t you? The guy with the white hair?”

Yeah. There was a fair chance she did.

15

Ben was in bed when Joan burst in on him in a similar manner to how Grubby had on Amber and Vaughan. She had the decency to knock as she entered though.

“Ben, Ben. You have to get up.”

“What?”

“Get up. Now.” She crossed the room and threw open his curtains. “There is a man here to see you.”

Ben rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “A man? What man?”

“A man. Quick, quick, quick. He’s waiting.”

This being several hours before Ben generally rose, it took a few minutes for his brain to catch up. He was halfway out the door before he realised he probably needed to wear more than boxer shorts.

He shuffled out to find a man sitting at his dinner table with Joan. The man had white hair and a white suit. Very striking.

“Benny,” the man said, like they were friends or old acquaintances, at least. “What are you doing?”

“Umm, nothing.”

“Are you ready?”

“Ready?”

The man sighed theatrically. “You were told to be ready, were you not?”

Ben stood there. Sure, yes, he was, but ready for what?

“So, Mr Shake?” Joan said.

“Just Shake, Joan. Please call me Shake.” He treated her to a smile somewhere between dazzling and creepy.

“Okay, Shake. You work for this Diamond Logistics?”

“I do.”

“With Amber?”

“Yes. Well, yes and no actually. It’s been a while since Amber and I have seen each other.”

“And that other woman?”

“Mother? Yes. You made quite an impact on her, Joan. You and this place.”

“I did? I don’t see how,” Joan said, a bit of an edge to her tone.

“How could you not?” Again with that smile. Joan wasn’t buying whatever Shake was selling. He turned to Ben. “Right, Benny. You good to go?”

“No one calls him Benny,” Joan stated, prompting another smile from Shake.

“Go?” Ben asked, furrowing his brow.

“Go, yes, go. Right now. Chop, chop. Where’s your bag?”

“Bag?”

“Oh, for goodness sake.”

“What does he need a bag for? Where are you taking him?”

“He needs a bag for a few days away. Don’t worry, Joan. I’ll have him back to you safe and sound in short order.”

Joan folded her arms. Ben scampered from the room.

Bag… Bag… It was a simple process and yet everything took about a million times longer than it should. His room was a mess like always, all his possessions seemingly hiding from him. Ben threw in a random mix of clothes. Were they going somewhere hot or cold? He packed almost everything he owned before realising Shake had only said a few days and he couldn’t possibly need that much. He took a deep breath and tried again, just putting in one or two items.

When Ben returned to the dining area, Shake was standing.

“You and I clearly have a different idea of what ready means, Benny.”

“Hold on, that’s not fair,” Joan said.

Ben raised a hand to quieten her. “Sorry…”

“Call me Shake.”

“Sorry, Shake.”

“Are you ready now?”

“I think… Yes.”

“You think so or you are?”

“I am. Definitely.”

“Good. Now, where is your phone?”

“My … phone?”

“Yes. Small black thing with a glass screen. Telecommunications device. Once used primarily to make phone calls, hence the name.”

“No… I know what a phone is.”

“Excellent. Progress.”

“I just don’t know why you want…” Ben pulled out his phone.

“Thank you.” Shake took the phone and passed it to Joan. “Joan, would you please be so kind as to take care of this for us? Just until Benny here returns home?”

“But, I mean… I suppose I could. If it’s okay with Ben.”

“It’s fine with you, isn’t it, Benny? Don’t worry. A little less screen time will do you good. Right. Let’s go.”

Go? Ben’s legs were lead, refusing to move.

“See you, Joan.” He gave his grandmother a kiss on the cheek. Not what he would usually do, but it seemed appropriate.

“Aww, sweet. What a good grandson. Lovely to meet you, Joan. I won’t kiss you though. That would be weird.”

Shake strode away. Ben followed out the door and into his new life.

16

In the end Grubby ran ahead, Amber and Vaughan too slow for him. Grubby keen not to miss a moment of any possible developments with the Tesla.

Amber whacked Vaughan’s arm.

“Oww.”

“That didn’t hurt. If I wanted it to hurt it would have.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m still not allowed aboard your boat without asking permission.”

“It’s basic respect, kid.”

“And we’re together.”

“Is that what we are?”

“Whereas Grubby runs on board uninvited, you don’t even bat an eyelid.”

Vaughan scoffed. “Yeah, cos it’s Grubby. I may as well ask you why you haven’t taught Lion to say please and thank you.”

“Thanks for defending my honour too. Kicking him out because I wasn’t dressed.”

“I said you needed to get changed.”

“Yeah, eventually.”

“Oh, we’re together, are we? Is that what we are?”

“Shut up.”

“Who is this guy? In the Tesla?”

“I don’t know for sure.”

“Yes, you do.”

“It sounds like someone I work with.”

“At your logistics place? Excellent.”

“Don’t roll your eyes at me. What’s wrong with that?”

Vaughan held his tongue. Probably wise.

They made their way to Paradise by the Bay. The gleaming white Tesla looked oddly out of place parked by the owner’s cottage. Grubby rocked back and forward on the balls of his feet, ready for action.

Ben and Shake made their way out just as Amber and Vaughan arrived.

“Well, well,” Shake said. “Amber.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Long time.”

“Shake.”

The group stood about, no one quite sure what to do next.

“Oh, umm, Shake, this is Vaughan and Grubby.”

Shake half nodded, barely even looking at them. “Right, Benny. In.”

They moved to their respective sides, Ben appearing as hesitant as Shake was full of himself.

“I’d watch out, Ben,” Grubby said, highly amused. “Youse might not get too far.” He turned to Shake. “No charging station here either. How far you gonna get before you run out of power?”

Shake flashed his best smile, saying nothing. He climbed into the driver’s seat.

Grubby jittered with glee. “Should we follow ’em?”

“You can if you want