Brenda didn’t think anyone had heard her, but I did. I smiled to myself for actually getting a movie reference. At least I think it was. I turned my head to see if maybe Donna had heard it too, half expecting her to be smiling as well but she was staring straight ahead. She had a look I recognized too well. Her eyes looked pained. I noticed Donna’s left hand trembling so I looked down. She was digging her nails into her thigh. She was trying to say something, but couldn’t. This attempt at self-harm had become her latest way of trying to distract some part of brain enough to let something slip. Something she thought was important. It didn’t work. Nothing ever did.
In these moments, no matter how hard she tried to say what she wanted to say, she could never do it. Sometimes, hours later, all she could say was that a thought tried to break free but then it faded away and she couldn’t even remember what it was. I reached out and touched Donna’s leg, letting her know I understood. Well, not completely understood. I still didn’t know what exactly kept her from telling me things, but I knew it wasn’t her fault. It was scary knowing that she was not in complete control of herself. She gave up trying to retrieve the thought and relaxed her hand. Then she slid it over mine, seeking forgiveness for her lack of control.
I looked back at Brenda to see if she noticed anything. She was in her own little world staring out the window. To further confirm her obliviousness, Brenda started humming. I took a second but I recognized the tune. It was the theme song to a popular animated series about people being born with powers. Then I saw a smile form on Donna’s lips and she began to relax more. We both felt it. Ours had been an all too serious family of two. Brenda was someone who could fill a necessary gap in our lives. But we were still not whole. More importantly, we needed someone who could help us rescue Leah. As if on cue, a name popped into my head that fit both needs. It was someone who I would never consider but somehow in that moment just felt all too obvious. We’d worked with them a few times now and every time the dynamic became less awkward and maybe even friendly. I closed my eyes because I wasn’t sure I wanted to say what I was about to say. I looked over at Donna and I could tell she already knew.
“We have to make the call,” I said.
It almost felt like destiny. I don’t know how else to describe the feeling. There was silence from Donna. There wasn’t silence from Brenda.
“Call? Call who?” she asked.
Donna pulled over to the shoulder of the road and stopped the car. She tilted her head up and closed her eyes.
“I know. I’m just trying to figure out a way to not get that one involved,” she said.
“You’re trying to avoid having two similar people in the same place together. You had to know that we’d be calling them,” I said.
“There is that too,” said Donna.
“Are you guys talking about me like I am not here? Again.” from Brenda.
“We don’t have a choice. We need Jinx,” I said.
“Who is Jinx?” asked Brenda.
We both ignored Brenda’s question because we didn’t want to face the reality of our situation. We really didn’t have a choice. Donna opened her eyes, pulled out her phone, and sent a text.
“You know you’re asking for it too, right?” Donna asked me.
“Yeah. I know,” I said, mentally preparing myself.
Someone materialized in front of the car a minute later. The event was clearly not wasted on Brenda who did nothing to hide her excitement.
“OH… MY… GOD… You have a teleporter!”
Jess had materialized quickly. They could slowly faze into existence if the dramatics suited them. But we were regular customers so there was not as much of a need to impress. Jess appeared to be more masculine-presenting that day. They wore slim blue jeans, a white t-shirt, a black leather motorcycle jacket, sunglasses, and sported a haircut that looked like a 50s greaser from a movie. They even had a switchblade comb which they used to run through their hair which was now back to its natural dark brown. Jess walked to the driver’s side with a swagger. Brenda, with a big smile, eagerly slid over, unlocked the passenger door, and scooted back to her side to make room. This was really playing out as some sort of comic book fantasy for her. Jess opened the door and hopped in.
“How are my favorite clients?” they asked, closing the door behind them.
Then they looked over at me and said, “Hey. Miss me?”
I ignored them.
“That a no?” asked Jess
“Your idea,” said Donna.
Jess pulled their sunglasses a little lower on their nose, tilted their head down and looked above the frames at Brenda.
“And you are?” they asked.
“I’m Brenda. The new girl,” she said with a big smile.
Brenda reached out her hand and Jess shook it without hesitation. Then they pushed their sunglasses back up and leaned back in the seat.
“I’m Jess. The... sometimes girl,” said Jess.
“Sometimes?” asked Brenda.
“Yeah. I’m also sometimes boy and sometimes other,” said Jess.
“So… They/them?” asked Brenda.
“Correct.” said Jess.
Brenda nodded. I repeated “they/them” in my head a few times. I still managed to slip up occasionally and I still felt really bad every time it happened
“Sarah here goofs it sometimes, but I let it slide,” said Jess.
Jess didn’t hold it against me but they liked rubbing it in for laughs.
“I’m sure she it’s not on purpose,” said Brenda.
“I know. Plus she’s hot so it’s easy to forgive,” said Jess.
“Oh my god. I’m right here,” I said.
They ignored me.
“Powers?” Jess asked Brenda.
“Elemental control. Fire, wind, water, whatnot,” said Brenda.
“Nice,” Jess said and nodded in appreciation. “Love the hair, by the way. Had mine the same color the first time I met these clowns.”
Jess motioned to us with their thumb as if there were anyone else they would be referring to.
“Thanks. Just tried it out a few days ago. I’m pretty stoked with the results. You look pretty sick as well, if you don’t mind me saying,” replied Brenda.
“I don’t mind you saying,” said Jess.
Then they asked Brenda, “What are they paying you?”
“Pay? We get paid for this?” Brenda asked, glanced over to Donna with a raised eyebrow.
“You, nothing. Jinx, probably too much,” said Donna.
Jess looked over at Donna with a big smile.
“You know I’m worth it, Dons,” they said.
Then Jess looked at me.
“BTW, fifty percent discount on my services if I get a kiss from the princess,” they said.
In their more male moments they could be a little more cringe. I spun rapidly to look at Jess.
“What?!” I said, looking shocked and annoyed.
They tried to keep a straight face but they were fighting a grin. Of course Jess was purposely messing with me and not being serious. Well… not completely serious. They really liked pushing my buttons. Not that I made it all that hard for them. Certain buttons were easy to press. Then Brenda let her mouth wander before her brain could intervene.
“She was naked earlier,” she said a little too excitedly.
My now wide-eyed and mortified face turned to Brenda. This caused her to remember her earlier apology and instantly regretted saying what she did. She closed her eyes for a second and mentally berated herself.
“Shit. Sorry,” she said to me.
Jess tried to play it cool, but I could tell their eyes widened behind the sunglasses.
“Seriously? This job would have been completely pro bono if I could have been there for that,” they said.
Donna shut it down immediately.
“Cut it, Jess. Right now! This is serious,” she said.
I turned back around and slid down into the seat, covering my face with my hands. Jess smiled, enjoying the minor drama.
“I’m kidding. I kid,” said Jess.
Then they turned to Brenda.
“So… nothing on?” they asked.
“Yeah,” said Brenda, turning red.
She felt crushed at embarrassing me.
“I didn’t see,” said Brenda.
“But you wanted to,” I interjected, sounding embarrassed and annoyed.
That forced a cringe from Brenda.
“I, uh... put both feet in my mouth and made a weird situation for her even worse. Just like I did right now. My stupid brain takes my mouth for a ride sometimes. Douche move on my part,” she said.
Jess looked down and their shoulders dropped slightly.
“Yeah. I have a similar tendency,” said Jess looking thoughtful.
Then they tilted her head a bit, looking right at Brenda.
“You into girls?” they asked.
The moment of clarity was over.
“Pretty exclusively, I guess. I’ve dabbled in dudes before in moments of weakness. It never ended well,” said Brenda.
“Never does,” said Jess.
“I might be a bit pan, I guess. I’ve had things for people that started life in different skins who are now girls or boys, but I’m generally pulled towards feminine energy as far as attraction goes,” said Brenda.
Jess removed their sunglasses and squinted their eyes.
“You into me? Current form notwithstanding, of course.” they asked.
Brenda looked Jess up and down, carefully considering the person in front of her.
“You know, you check off enough boxes but, funnily enough, no. You into me?” she asked.
“It’s a meh for me too. Oddly enough,” from Jess.
“Fair play,” said Brenda.
I dropped my hands away from my face and slid back up in the seat. I was now nervously bouncing one of my knees rapidly but only Donna could see.
“Aren't we pressed for time?” I asked.
Donna was rubbing her temples.
“Yes we are but just let them get this out of their system,” she said.
She turned on the car and started to drive. Brenda and Jess didn’t take much notice.
“So what kind of girls are your thing?” asked Jess.
“I’ve been into all kinds of women but it seems like I have a particular thing for the demure and athletic if you know what I mean,” said Brenda.
She motioned towards me with her head. She didn’t have to. We all knew what she meant.
“Yeah. Me too. What else are you into?” asked Jess.
“Metal, punk, sci-fi, comics,” Brenda replied.
“Not bad. Not bad. Anime?” asked Jess.
“On occasion. But it can sometimes get a little weird for my taste,” Brenda said.
“That’s fair,” said Jess.
There was a moment of silence while the two carefully considered each other.
“I like you,” from Jess.
“I like you,” from Brenda.
“Wanna be friends?” from Jess.
“I believe I do,” from Brenda.
“Jess, was it?” she asked, sounding prim and proper.
Jess smiled.
“Yes, my dear. You may call me Jess,” they replied, echoing Brenda's tone.
Brenda laughed. Then they shook hands again and sighed.
“I think we’re done.” said Jess, leaning back and resting their arms on the top of the seat.
Looking over to Brenda they asked, “We’re done, right?”
“Oh, totally. You may proceed, mon amie,” Brenda said to Donna.
I was facing forward in the car, just staring out the window, wondering what the hell I had done. I knew Jess was a necessary evil at this point, but had no clue they would sync with Brenda this easily, this fast, and this well. I guess I should have known better. If Jess was another missing piece of our family then of course this would happen. Thankfully the members of our expanded team seemed more interested in comparing interests other than me.
Donna told me, as if actually reading my mind, “Trust me. If they didn’t get it out of the way, it would have dragged on. They are like different sides of the same annoying coin.”
“Hey,” said Brenda, feigning shock. “We resemble that remark.”
“Completely,” said Jess.
Then they fist bumped. No, really. They did. My anxiety over having two people potentially flirting with me at the same time almost made me miss the oddity that Jess didn’t appear to have any of their personal space or touch issues with Brenda. The comfort level they had with their new friend was remarkable. I wasn’t sure what to make of it but I figured it was just because Jess liked her.
“Now that that is over,” said Donna rolling her eyes for what she knew would probably not be the last time. “We all need to know everything.”
“There’s more?” asked Brenda.
“Always secrets with these two,” said Jess, shaking their head.
Donna, ignoring Jess, began, “Jess, who goes by Jinx in less than legal circles...”
Brenda was going to ask, but Jess chimed in, “Professional name. I’ll tell you later.”
“May I continue?” asked Donna.
Brenda nodded her head.
“Jess I bring in only when absolutely necessary. They are expensive, but worth it,” said Donna.
“If you are good at something, never do it for free,” said Jess, mimicking the voice of a clown-faced comic book villain.
Brenda giggled. I face-palmed.
“Do you mind?” said Donna, clearly annoyed, which happens a lot in certain company. “As I was saying… We need to rescue Leah and it will not be easy.”
“Who is Leah?” asked Jess.
“A girl I rescued who was then kidnapped,” I said.
“By people who then tried to blow up Sarah,” said Brenda.
“Blow up?” asked Jess.
“Big fireball. She was in the middle of it. Happened just prior to the… the woods thing,” said Brenda.
“Ah. Now the naked makes sense,” said Jess.
I closed my eyes again and tried to breathe away the embarrassment.
“And we need to focus!” said Donna loudly.
“Sorry,” said Brenda and Jess in unison.
“It’s going to be dangerous so we need to get in and out fast,” said Donna.
“Hence an awesome teleporter,” said Brenda
“Thank you,” said Jess, doing a slight bow.
“Yes, hence. But first I need to go to the beginning. How all our powers got started,” said Donna.
“Is this…” I started a sentence, but couldn’t continue.
Donna had told me some things already, but not everything. I knew she was holding back a lot and not by choice.
“It’s the time and place,” said Donna.
I almost felt a chill. Something that was locked could finally be said. She looked relieved that she could say it.
“Time and place?” asked Brenda.
“Never mind that part. I’m going to tell you how this all got started. What I know, anyway. I need all of you to listen to something,” said Donna.
Donna reached over and opened the glove box. She pulled out a digital voice recorder.
“Just listen to it completely before you say anything,” she said.
“Quick timeout,” said Jess.
Then they disappeared. They reappeared a second later with a bucket of popcorn that they placed between themselves and Brenda. Brenda’s only reaction was to reach for a handful of popcorn. I have no idea where Jess even got the popcorn. Did they take it from somewhere? Did they just have popcorn ready to go for the appropriate moment? I can’t even imagine the complexity of teleporting away, back into a moving car, and into the exact same sitting position they had been in. Let me say that again. Jess teleported back into a moving object... that was in a different location from where it was when they left... without seeing where the car currently was. The road also had curves so we were not moving in a straight line. Let that sink in. I don’t even know how conscious Jess was of how complex that maneuver was. It looked like nothing to them. They were that good.173Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo38uj2h9bK
