Flying Blind Ch. 02

"Not everyone has the Christmas spirit I guess."

"He's the Grinch who fucked Christmas up the --"

"Hello?" came a new voice from upstairs.

"Heda!" Madison shouted. "We're downstairs!"

The eagle-shifter came traipsing down the stairs in her volleyball uniform, making both Peter and Madison drool just a little bit. When Joanna joined them a moment later, the feeling was repeated.

"Hey guys," Heda said. "Gotta be at practice in a while, but I wanted to come by and see the place. Fuck, this is huge!" She looked around. "Oh Madison, this is SO your room!" She walked over to a spot on the wall. "Your bed here with your Fats Domino album hanging right over it."

Joanna nodded. "Maybe put her --"

"Hey, I'm still here. Blind not deaf. And I can put my damn stuff anywhere I damn want."

"So you're moving in?"

"I didn't say that! If I WERE to move in which I didn't say I would do, then hypothetically --"

"But you didn't say you WOULDN'T move in either," Heda said, giving her a kiss and a pat on the ass. She looked at Peter. "So let's talk economics. After I've seen that attic you were talking about."

The attic was a marvel, with two westward facing windows and a skylight. It was not very tall, but spanned the top of the whole house. From the windows, Heda looked out over the local shrublands and up at the mountains.

"Oh, that's beautiful," she whispered. She did not see Madison slink back down the stairs. Her echolocation, however powerful, would never reach the mountains, so she would never see what Heda saw . . . would never appreciate the world on that scale. She lived in her own little bubble and always would.

Heda caught up with her lover in the kitchen, where Carla was drooling over the stainless steel appliances. "Can we have it mommy?" she asked, looking at Heda. "Can we can we can we --"

"That's up to everyone," Heda grinned. "I ain't supporting you clowns. "I need to find a job for spending cash as it is. My folks will only put up with so much." She put an arm around Madison and kissed her cheek. "So, interested?" Then she looked at Peter, who walked back in with a cell phone to his ear. "What's the damage?"

"His Majesty would only charge us fifteen hundred a month for the house, but we'd pay all our own utilities. Still, that's . . . let's see, me, you, Kevin, Anthony, Joanna, Carla, Madison, Sasha, and Billy. That's ten."

"One hundred and fifty apiece?" Madison said, her eyes opening wide.

"Sounds like something you could do," Heda whispered into the girl's ear. She and Peter made eye contact. "As extra incentive, you could have the whole basement as yours."

"Ooh man," Anthony said as he walked in. "If we could wire the whole house for sound, we could set Madison up as the house DJ! The house would be rockin' twenty-four/seven!"

Madison tried to appear stoic when she asked, "So how do we get out of our housing contracts?"

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The next day . . .

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Heda paced the hallway outside of Reichert's office several times before knocking. She hated doing this. Absolutely hated it. The door opened just as her fist touched it.

"Come in Miss Adler," the Reptile King said. "Your pacing is giving me a headache."

She walked in and sat in the offered guest chair while he sat behind his desk, giving her an even glare.

"Thank you for seeing me," Heda said between clenched teeth. "Some of us were looking to rent a house together just off campus . . . you know, the whole safety in numbers thing. It's close enough that I could still perform my neighborhood watch duties, or maybe even assume a new area for shifters who live off campus."

"Sounds reasonable," Reichert said flatly. "Why are you talking to me?"

"Because we would need to get out of our housing contracts. You have enough sway to make that happen without us having to pay a lot of penalties." Heda actually began to grow uncomfortable under his stare. "What?"

"Very well," Reichert said finally. "It is a reasonable request considering the circumstances. Am I to assume that Miss Sloan will be joining this venture?"

Heda was suspicious. This was going a little too easily. "Ideally yes, once we find out the cost of utilities. King Jason Burchill is helping his nephew out a lot, so that's making this financially feasible for all of us."

"Burchill is a good man," Reichert replied, almost absently. "This is a good situation."

Heda did not get it. This man was so hot and cold that it made her wonder. "Thank you," she said, standing up to leave.

"Please, stay for a moment," Reichert replied. "Miss Adler, I am going to need your help in the coming months while this madman is located, and I would like for us to be on the same side for you entire time here at FCU."

Heda closed her eyes and tried to remain calm when she said, "Then why aren't you doing anything to help Madison? Please, I want to respect you and your crown, but how --"

"This situation is much more complicated that you think," Reichert said. "If Alvin Hannity is kicked out of this institution, it will not only threaten a significant source of income for this university, but do you think that will help your friend? Do you really think that the Hannity clan is incapable of making Madison's life miserable from afar?"

"That's no excuse for letting him hunt her the way he is!"

"No, it is not. Teasing or insulting is one thing, but damaging her is another. Please see this from my position. I do not personally doubt that he assaulted her the other day, but the fact remains that he has witnesses that say otherwise and she has no one to corroborate her story. You can confirm that she was injured in the woods several weeks ago, but not that it was him. The circumstantial evidence is strong, but that's all it is . . . circumstantial."

He sighed, then looked away. "I am not . . . easily moved . . . by shifters such as Miss Sloan with genetic abnormalities. I know that you may hate me for that, but it is true. It is not true, however, that I will allow your friend to come to harm because of my biases. I have spoken with young Mister Hannity and assured him that if the harassment of Miss Sloan continues that I shall be forced to initiate a very thorough investigation that might yield irrefutable evidence that would render any defense, no matter how well funded, to be sadly insufficient."

Heda's mind was reeling. Her mother had always warned her that shifter politics was insanely tricky, and now she was beginning to understand. "Are the Hannitys really that dangerous?"

"Yes, they can be. I always found Alvin's father to be quite amiable personally, though his wife is . . . difficult. And Alvin Hannity is, well, a momma's boy."

Heda actually snickered. She could totally see that. "Have you ever told Madison any of this?"

"Madison has never shown much interest in anything I have to say. Ever since she was in my class --"

"Yeah, she told me about the whole grade thing. Deduction for penmanship."

"And grammar," he replied. "She was given an opportunity to use the editors at the English Department's writing center and she didn't. She said that she could do it on her own. So I graded her on what she turned in. She didn't like it so she took it to the department head who was so afraid of appearing to be biased against the handicapped that he gave her what she wanted."

Heda felt a little awkward. She completely understood why Madison had reacted the way she did, but what if she had been wrong, or at least a little bit premature in jumping down Reichert's throat. But Reichert, if he was telling the truth, had not done anything wrong either.

Reichert looked her hard in the eyes. "I am not trying to drive a wedge between the two of you. I am not so insensitive as to think her life has not been exceedingly difficult or that she has not had to work twice as hard or more than others just to get by, but part of her isolation from the shifter community is her own doing."

"That's changing," Heda said defensively.

"I know. But sometimes being normal also means being accountable."

Heda got up, shook Reichert's hand, and then headed outside. Joanna was waiting in the lobby so that they could walk back together, keeping with the "always go in twos" mentality.

"So how'd it go?" Joanna asked.

"Good. Looks like we'll be able to get out of our housing contracts, but we should do it soon."

"Peter is SO on top of it," Joanna said. "Still, you look kinda glum for someone who had to deal with her arch enemy."

"He's not . . . he's not my enemy, arch or otherwise. And I'm sorry for dissing your king."

"Heda?" Joanna said, prying one of the eagle-shifter's eyes wide open. "Are you in there?! Hold on and we'll send help!"

Heda batted her friend's hand away with a fake snarl. "I can completely kick your ass, you know that."

"Puh-lease. Like you thought you could out hunt me?"

"I had to go and save Madison's cute little butt, otherwise I would've won that!"


"Oh suuuuuuuuuure you would have."

"Hey, I'll throw down right now."

Joanna grinned, but was trying to figure any graceful way she could out of this little challenge, since she was pretty sure Heda would indeed kick her behind eight ways from Sunday in a straight up fight. "Hey, you know that kicking my ass is the last thing you want to do to it."

"Hmm, your problem is that you waited too long. Madison's ass is pretty dynamite, so yours is now expendable."

Joanna kept finding ways to back out of another contest all the way back to the dorm room, only to have Heda counter each one.

"So you see, I think that a good old fashion wrestling match is a perfect reasonable way for you to back up your tough talk," Heda said with a grin as they rounded the last corner.

All their friends were hanging out on the benches in front of the dorms, except for Madison and Billy who were probably on their way to the station. And there was a newcomer in the group that made Joanna's mouth drop open.

"Helloooooooooooo hunkalicious!" she purred as the new guy stood up. He was six feet four inches tall and built like a competitive swimmer, with shoulder-length hair that was so black that the light reflected blue off of it. He had full lips, warm green eyes and the most perfect skin she had ever seen. He looked a bit older than most of the rest of the crowd, but was still obviously in his physical prime.

Heda scrunched up her eyes as if annoyed, though her mouth was quirked in amusement . . . or maybe it was glee. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Wait, you know this stud muffin?" Joanna pouted. "And you didn't tell me about him?"

"Yeah, we just found this cat hanging out saying he needed to talk to our girl Heda," Anthony said, "and you KNOW that we weren't gonna let him near her if he wasn't legit."

"When did you become a gangsta?" Peter asked his friend.

Anthony shrugged. "Don't be hatin'."

"Heda," Joanna almost whimpered, "introduce your friend!"

"Friend?" Heda shook her head. "He ain't no friend of mine. So Ed, you going to tell me what you're doing here?"

"What? Can't a caring, loving brother check in on his semi-helpless little sister?"

"Helpless my ass," she replied, smiling openly and giving "Ed" a big hug.

"That's your brother?!" Joanna squealed. "You told me you had brothers, but not that they were hot!"

"I really like her," Ed said with a lopsided grin. "Could help a man's ego being around a woman like her."

"Name's Joanna, and I'm your sister's bestest friend and confidante," she said, sliding up to him. "Hmm, bird shifter. Man, bird-shifting and hotness both run all the way in your family?"

Anthony grinned. "I've seen pictures of their mom, and she's a total M-I-L--" His voice trailed off as Heda and Ed fixed glares on him. "I'm sure she's a lovely woman with impeccable character."

"Good save," Heda replied. Then her face got that suspicious look. "Mom wouldn't have anything to do with why you're here, does she?"

Ed shrugged. "She MAY have dropped my name to the Council as someone to call to help with your disappearances her on campus, and PERHAPS suggested that I check in with you to make sure you haven't gotten into any more trouble --"

"Ooh, I am going to give that woman a piece of my mind!" Heda growled, reaching for her cell phone. "Sending my brother to spy on me?!" She started to dial while Joanna moved in for the kill.

"So, is there a Missus Ed Adler?"

"I suspect so, though she and I haven't met yet," he replied, grinning and trying really hard to concentrate on her eyes.

"Hey, my boobs are down here," she said, pushing up on them to display cleavage.

"Conversations with you aren't normal, are they?"

"Hi Mom!" Heda said loudly, glaring at her brother. "Oh nothing much. Just thought you might want to know that me and some of my new friends are moving off campus. Yeah, the Bird King is buying a house and renting it to his nephew for cheap. There will be ten of us, so it will be really safe and secure and WHY THE HELL DID YOU SEND EDGAR TO SPY ON ME?" she ended with a shout.

"Here we go," Edgar said, sitting on the bench and staring at his sister. He glanced over at Joanna and continued, "Heda's conversations with Mom are like spectator sports. Honestly, I --"

"I am NOT overreacting," Heda growled at her phone. "I can take care of myself and . . . Yes, I know that he's a privative investigator, but I'm sure the university is quite capable . . . Mother, I will not let you . . . don't you dare put Dad on the phone! I do not want to . . . Hi Dad. Yeah, could you put her back on? Seriously. Dad, don't . . . do NOT put the phone down to go look for her. Dad? Dad!"

Edgar grinned, then whispered to anyone listening, "Our father is a master of not letting fights between Heda and Mom escalate. This is his 'let me put the phone down and then I'll go talk to her' ploy. He's probably going to go read in his recliner for a while hoping that Heda will give up. But it won't work. See? She's going to her back up plan." Heda had disconnected the phone and is calling Dad's office phone. He'll always answer that and never thinks about it until its too late. Oops, here we go."

"Dad, don't you dare put this phone down! I know it's your work phone, but . . . oh no, I know that trick. Don't even think about it. I know that trick. Hell, I taught you that trick. Put her on now or I'll do it. You know I will."

"And cue the waterworks," Edgar said, acting entranced.

"Daddy," Heda sniffed, her voice suddenly tearful and broken up, "I really need to talk to Mom. She's crossed a line --"

"SHE should be a thespian," Joanna muttered admiringly. "I've seen seniors who can't do that kind of drama."

"Thank you," Heda said, her voice almost a whimper. Then just as suddenly, "Do NOT pawn me off on Dad again! Yes, I know I do it, but that's a daughter's prerogative. I don't care. No, having sex with him does not give you the same rights, and ewh! No talking about that in front of your children. What kind of mother are you?"

"You wanna go inside?" Ed asked, "and you guys can give me the scoop on what's been going on around here. I got a dossier from the University and another from King Reichert. Besides, this looks like it's going to take a while."

"So you're a PI, huh?" Anthony asked. "Sounds sweet."

"Yeah, there's not a lot of paranormal private investigators, or at least not many credible ones." He followed the crew inside and then started asking about what everyone knew and what they had heard and what was being done. He showed great compassion and tact when talking with Carla about her experience. Joanna knew he must be good at his job. She wondered what else he might be good at.

"You should talk to Madison too," Carla said at last, having relived her ordeal for what felt like the hundredth time. "She's the one who found me."

"Madison Sloan?" Ed checked his notes. "But she's blind." When his eyes came up, he noticed that everyone was looking shifty-eyed at each other. "What? Says here that she's legally blind. Is that not correct?"

"No, she's legally blind all right," Joanna said. "Yessiree."

He raised one eyebrow. 'Something is really odd here.' "She can't see then?" The redhead raised his hand. "Yes . . . Kevin, is it?"

"Yeah. Uhm, what do you mean by 'see'?" Kevin's utterance was met by a punch in the arm by Peter. "What?!"

Ed was really confused. "Can she or can she not make use of her eyes to intake light and so on and so forth to . . . well, see?"

"Nope!" the whole crowd said at once.

"Okay, what the fuck is going on?"

"Nothing," came the synchronized response.

Edgar rubbed his temples, trying to gather his wits. Normally, he was the problem child in the family, but he seemed woefully outmatched here.

"Here, let me do that for you," Joanna said soothingly.

"Really, that's not . . . okay," he said as she put her hands on his temples and her tee-shirt clad breasts on the back of his neck.

The door opened and Heda came in, growling in a most unladylike manner. "The nerve --"

"What happened?"

"My battery died," she said, plugging her cell into the charger. "And they were going to head out to a party before I could get inside and use the land-line."

"So all of that and no resolution?" Peter asked.

"Technically, that conversation has been going on for three years," Ed informed him. "It'll pick up where they left off next time. Mark my words."

Heda rolled her eyes, then managed to look cheerful for a moment. "Hey, Reichert's gonna help us get out of our housing contracts, so operation big-house-full-of-shifters is all go. Seriously," she added, looking at her brother, "you have GOT to see this place. Peter's uncle is amazingly cool for doing this for us."

"Well, I'll probably have plenty of chances, since I'm here until this case is solved. North American Shifter Council is footing the bill. You guys getting a house together? That's cool. I missed that part of the college experience."

"You missed the 'college' part of the college experience, you dumbass."

"That too. Hey, these guys won't give me a straight answer, so what is the deal with Madison Sloan?"

Heda countered his eyebrow raise with one of her own. "What about her?"

"She's listed as a material witness, but she's also listed as blind."

"That's true."

"So she really can't tell me anything."

"That's false."

"She what? Smelled the cage? Heard it?"

"She could tell you exactly what it looks like and probably give you a good guess as to what it was made of. But you've probably got all that in your report."

"But she's blind."

"Right."

"How can she --" Ed stopped and gripped the edge of the chair so hard he heard plastic snap.

Heda grimaced. "I guess you'll have to meet her for yourself. C'mon, she's usually got some time between sets. I'll take you over there."

"I'm going with you," Joanna said. "You know . . . strength in numbers and whatnot."

"But my brother --"

"I . . . am coming . . . with you," Joanna said with a knowing look, then glanced at the back of Ed's head.

Heda grinned. Joanna was pretty much an unstoppable hussy.

"Okay, what do you mean by sets? Is she a stripper or something?"

Everyone got a snicker out of that, but Heda shushed them. "Hey, she could! She's got the bod for it."

"And you would know," Kevin shot back with a grin.


Ed looked at his sister. "Let's go. You can explain all of this on the way."

The three of them got up and left their companions to start the mass migration to the new house. Heda refused to talk about Madison's "sight," deciding to leave it up to her. But her brother was tenacious on another front.

"So you've seen this girl naked?" he asked.

"Uhm . . .yeah. Couple of times now."

"A couple of times? So are you dating the girl?"