Wish

"Their good, you should bring your girl to dinner Sunday. Karen making that chicken dish of hers. It's so good it makes baby Jesus cry." He performs a quick cross on his chest as he tells me this.

"You know what, it's a plan." I tell him as the bartender hands me a bottle of beer. She knows me too.

"Hi, Alan it's good to see you,. Did John tell you about Sunday?" Karen is a lucky girl.

"Yeah he did and it's a go." I say scanning the room for Michelle.

"Good. I'm going to invite Kyle and Alice too." She smiles, noticing that I'm looking for someone. One of the wait staff comes up to John and asks him something quietly.

"If you will excuse me I have to handle a problem in the kitchen. If I don't see you before you leave, I will see you Sunday, Alan." He gives me a knuckle bump and walks back to the kitchen.

"I catch up with you later Karen, I'm meeting a friend here." I say nonchalantly.

"Michelle told me you would be in to meet with her. Is this more post break up shit? Cause you don't need that drama. She's at the back table with her boyfriend." Karen points.

"Boyfriend? You mean Tony?" I say shocked.

"No, some weird guy with a mustache. Talks weird too." She seems creeped out.

"Thanks Karen." I say as I walk with my beer in hand towards the back.

As I approach the back table and I see Michelle sitting there not saying a word sitting next to a man in a business suit. He's got one of those thin Latin mustaches, the kind you see on that Dudley Do-Right cartoon character Snidely Whiplash. He's rather tan and his hair line is set rather far back, giving him a rather large forehead. He's playing with a ring on his middle finger. It's large, gold, I think it's has some writing on it, but I can't tell. There is a small glass of some brown liquid in front of him. It's either bourbon or scotch. Michelle has a margarita in front of her, half gone. As I come up to the table he rises and waits for me with his hand extended.

"Mr. Scott, I presume?" His words are carefully chosen and his voice reflects that.

"Yes, Mr. Broome. I hear you want to talk me." I say as my hand meets his.

Michelle sits there unmoving, her eyes acknowledging my existence. I look to her and nod.

"So, Mr. Broome, I am actually here to talk to Michelle in private so if you can excuse us a minute, we can discuss whatever you want in a few moments." I say as we end the greeting and I take a seat across from Michelle. Mr. Broome takes his seat as if waiting me to sit first.

"Actually, that's my fault. I met Michelle a few years ago when I did some business with her father. Once I learned she had a connection to you, I decided to call her on a favor and arrange this meeting." He's real calm.

"Michelle, is this true?" I'm kind of shocked. Not real shocked.

"Yes." She says meekly.

"So the boyfriend trouble? Is that all real?" Still shocked here.

"No, Tony and I are doing great. We are planning on getting married." She smiles weakly.

"Really, well congrats. Good to hear." I say pretending to be not pissed that I was lied to.

"Alan, I am sorry I didn't mean to lie to you, I hope you understand." She says as she rises.

Broome and I rise to stand, as well.

"Goodbye Alan, again, I'm sorry." She tells me.

"It's cool." Is all I can muster.

"Mr. Broome, I hope this ends our arrangement." She's short with him.

"Indeed it does my dear." He nods at her and takes her hand in his. He kisses it. She recoils her hand after he has had his way with her hand and she leaves in a huff. Now it's just him and I. I wonder what he wants. Well, I have a pretty good idea what he wants.

"Now Mr. Scott we seem to have some business to get to." He sneers as he takes his seat again. This fucker is polite, I will give him that.

"I think I know what you want and I am not going to give it to you." I state. Still standing. Arms folded.

"Please, sit. If you don't I will level this hole in the wall, killing everyone." He tells me as he takes a sip of his drink.

"If you have that much power then why do you need a genie?" I still stand. I can call his bluff.

"I want to make sure no one can oppose me. I have a much bigger plan." He finishes his second sip and sets the drink back down.

"So, I just have to know something, how the hell did you know where to find me." I ask, standing my ground. The bar isn't leveled yet.

"Aladdin's ring. This ring I wear, it was the first thing I wished for after finding my first genie and a taking a year of research. You see when Aladdin found that genie, he only got three wishes from each genie, but he wanted a way he could get more. So, he wished for this ring." He seems to be involved in his own movie style flash back sequence or he just to hear himself talk about it.

"Well, I know some of the rules. Three is their minimum, not their limit." I state showing off my knowledge. Still standing.

"I know that and he didn't find that out till later in his life. He would use this ring to locate a genie, use the first wish to enchant it, and the other wishes for other things he needed. Then he realized it was just easier to kill a genie and put their magic into the ring." He states gesturing towards my seat.

"So, why isn't he still alive and kicking. If he had this powerful magical item?" I say. Still standing.

"Cause he didn't know what he had. He started to feel some remorse for what he was doing and found he couldn't destroy the ring. So, he hid it and I found it, over eight hundred years ago." He leans over the table so he can't be heard.

"I don't believe you can level this bar, without some risk of injury or killing your self in the process." I still stand.

"I guess you can believe me having lived that long, but not having the power to do that kind of damage?" I seems mildly enraged.

"No, sir you misunderstand. I never doubted your power, just said you wouldn't risk your self in the process. You maybe long lived, but you can still die from enough loss of blood."I remember some of the rules that Leaira told me about wishes and what they can get you.

"I see you have learned quite a bit about the rules. It's true, I don't have true immortality, but I have the closest thing to it." He smiles.

"So, I am going to leave and you are going to follow your slime trail back to the pit you crawled out of." I say, hopefully ending the conversation, but I fear not.

"No. I declare a challenge. A magical rite, of sorts." He smiles.

"What? Challenge?" I dare pick my words carefully, Leaira only told me part of this stuff.

"Indeed. Since I challenged you, you may pick the terms of the contest, and I may pick where. So, I chose your home." He seems to say this through his smile.

"Ok, pretend I know only half of what you are talking about, just clarify this challenge for me." I take my seat now.

"Long time ago, the genies created the magical prisons for their more nefarious members of their race, I am assuming you know this. The genies also created a set of rules for people wanting to take a genie away from their master. If a challenge is decreed the rivals fight till there is a clear winner. One day after a challenge has be issued, the two meet and battle. You do get one wish before the challenge is carried out, but you can not use that wish to effect the challenge in anyway, to do that is to forfeit." He leans back when he finishes his sentence.

"So you are going to challenge me for control of the lantern? Just to be clear." I feel a plan coming on.

"Yes, sure the lantern." He mumbles and gestures his hand around.

"Can I ask why you want it? I mean you have all this power, so why really do you need this one genie?" I ask, finally taking a drink from my bottle.

"You see she is the last one. This ring is able to locate a genie and thanks to Aladdin, it feeds on the genie's magical power. It consumes them, entirely. It stores their power till the wearer deems fit to use it. It however is still bound to the same laws governing imprisoned genie magic. So long as there is one imprisoned genie left, the ring will not grant me the power I really want. I could become a god on earth." He pulls a Simpson's Mr. Burns move as he leans forward, I am almost expecting him to say: Excellent.

"So give or take five hundred years ago, you wiped out the genies? Single handed, with that ring? Hard to believe, but it would explain a lot." I just said my inside thought out loud.

"Yes. I invaded and laid waste to their magical hidden land. The survivors of the so called genie council took who they could and sentenced them as criminals, so they could hide from me. When a genie is in it's container, it is shielded from all sorts of magic." He seems annoyed, but he also knows he can beat me no matter what contest I choose. I know he would bend and use these rules to his own advantage. I am still thinking a Star Wars knowledge quiz would be fair. Maybe?

"So, why did it take so long for you to find this last one?" I ask. Trying not to show any emotion.

"As I said before the ring is bound to the same rules as an imprisoned genie, so far it needs to recharge every hundred years or so. So if she was freed with in the last hundred years, I would not have known about it." He hasn't moved from his Mr. Burns pose.

"I have a few more questions that ..." I am interrupted.

"No, I have told you all you need to know. I assure you the lantern and it's contents will be mine by tomorrow. For now go home, pick your contest, and say your good-byes to your genie. And the rest of the world as you know it." He doesn't move. In fact he seems to fade away, becoming invisible or vanishing. Did he teleport or make it appear he did? Just so he could have that dramatic flair? I sat there letting him have his say. I guess it wouldn't hurt to test my theory. I stand up with my beer still in hand. Walk behind the chair he was sitting, turn it upside down, dumping it out into what I believe will be the chair. Now imagine my surprise when I see a wet outline of him sitting in that chair.

"Stop, wait, no. How dare you! Who do you think you are to do this to me?" He is on his feet and soaked with beer.

"That trick may have worked when the world was filled with people who were a superstitious and cowardly lot, but I am neither." I tell him as I set the beer on another table and begin to walk away. I have always wanted to say that line.

"This is over as soon as it begins, Scott. I will see you tomorrow!" He yells.

I make my way out quickly, saying my goodbyes to John and Karen. I have to get home and tell Leaira all of this.

I come in to my apartment and there she is, wet and naked. Wearing nothing, but towel and cooking dinner. She doesn't look my way till I say something.

"Sweetie? You really should put some clothes on if you intend on cooking." I say with a smile.

She gives me a knowing smile, as she turns her head, and her eyes meet mine. Her face lights up and the room seems brighter. Hopefully she will have that effect on my outlook, after what I have to tell her.

"Alan, I didn't expect you home so soon, I was hoping to have this done and be dressed." She turns and walks towards me, letting the towel drop. Before I have a chance to say anything at all. "But I am glad you have come home early, maybe we can have desert now?" Her arms come around my body and mine go around hers. We are kissing very passionately, I don't want to stop, but I have to tell her what happened. I break the kiss and speak.

"I have to tell you about today, Leaira. I met with Michelle, but she really had nothing to say to me, it was the guy she had with her. He has this ring and..."

"A thick gold ring with symbols all over it?" She asks with a hint of overwhelming fear. We kiss quickly.

"Yea, he called it Aladdin's ring. Said it contained the power of all the genies. Claimed that he single-handily killed them all and their essences are stored in the ring." I state, sadly. Again another kiss. "It's a legend among the genies. It was rumored to have been made by the gods as punishment if we got out of line. The old genies feared the ring and decided to create the council, with the arrangement that genies should govern genies. The gods agreed to this and the old genies created the system of laws for my kind. Then the gods hid the ring." Still fearful.

"So, it's called 'Aladdin's ring' cause he wished for it? Or did the genie he summoned trick him into wishing for it?" I ask and I kiss her.

"I don't know. It was over at least two thousand years before I was set free the first time." She doesn't step away or break the embrace. She kisses me.

"Sweetie, I have to ask something of you." I say as I kiss her again.

"What's that?"

"I need to know everything about the genie laws regarding the challenge. I want to beat him over the head with the rules like he did me today. I want to see if there is a loop hole, something that could help me win." I'm not sure if I can win.

"He challenged you? This is bad." She breaks away from me and in a blink she's dressed. Magic, it's useful.

"Yea? I figured it was bad. I didn't realize..." I start to say more, but.

"If he wins. I will never see you again. It will end any chance of happiness I have ever had!" She yells and starts pacing.

"Leaira, calm down. We can figure this out. Just tell me everything you know about the rules, please." I say to her.

"Alan, do you understand what's at stake? Our life together? Gone! I can't be without... You're the first person I have wanted to be with. I don't want to lose you. Do you understand? This isn't one of your books, where the good guy wins, because he's smarter, or has superpowers. This is really happening." She slowly falls to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, and kicking the air on her way down. I rush over to her as soon as she said my name. I feel like the only reason she was moving slowly as I hold her, till we are on the ground.

"I do understand. I believe in things that I never thought I would believe in, till I met you. You made me believe in love at first sight. I love you, Leaira. We are going to get through this, but I need to know the rules, please help me." Pleading into her water filled eyes.

"Ok. Ok. I love you so much Alan." More tears.

After she calms down she teaches me everything I need to know about the rules of the challenge, how they came about, and things that aren't allowed. I feel even if I don't win, I will give that guy a run for his money. We talked and talked about the rules, so I won't bore you with the details. We spent the whole day together like it was our last, cause it could be. We went to breakfast in our pajamas at six thirty in the morning. Yeah, there was sex. A few times, in case you were wondering. We also talked about the rules some more just to be sure I had them down. She kept bugging me to make a final wish, but I told her I need to save it. I told her I had a plan. She reminded me that I can't interfere with the challenge. I told her I wasn't. She seemed really happy, told me how much she loved me, and that I had to be meant for her. Then the time came and a knock at the door. Four times, he knocked. Very polite and prompt. The bastard.

Leaira dressed in the outfit I met her in. Her lantern on the table. I found one of the three suits I own and I put it on, for the occasion. I opened the door and invited him in. He seemed impressed with me for a second, or at least I thought he was. As nods and moves pass me to so he can introduce himself to Leaira. She seem very displeased with this action, then he turns his attention to me. I couldn't believe the fate of the world was going to be fought over in my apartment.

"Alan, let's make this quick and tell me your challenge." He states annoyed. I notice he can't take his eyes off Leaira.

"Ok, but first according to the rules, we have to chose a magic free zone, so it puts us on even ground." I say. He's looking at her.

"What? Magic free zone?" He asks, like he realizes I am still here.

"Yes, you should set your ring on the table there next to the lamp." I point.

"No, I don't think..." He starts and I stop him.

"It's part of the rules. You knew that right? You can't have any enchantments or magical items on you when we do the challenge. If you don't do it, you forfeit. Don't worry for the duration of the challenge neither of us can touch any of the items we have to set aside. Or we both forfeit." I am hitting him over the head with the rules.

"How do I know you aren't just making these rules up?" Annoyed even more.

"She told me all the rules, you only told half. She can't lie, we both know that, not when there is a challenge." I fold my arms.

He stands there thinking for a second his right hand on his chin and the other arm folded underneath.

"Ok I agree to your terms." He states.

"They aren't my terms, they are the rules." Arms still folded.

He says nothing as he removes his ring and sets it on the table. Then he looks at me standing there, like he is going to make me pay for this inconvenience. I have a plan, at least that's what I am telling myself.

"Ok, now that's taken care of." I take out a piece of chalk from my left front pocket.

"What's that for?" He asks with a sigh.

"Don't you know? It's for the circle that no magic can exist in. Just to keep things fair." I say as I start to draw a large circle on the hardwood floor.

"I see." He watches me then looks to Leaira, I can't help, but notice he can't take his eyes off her and she doesn't seem to like it.

"This is the way it supposed to have been done every time. You can't tell me when you challenged someone you forgot all these details." I say as I finish.

"Well, I didn't think the genie was supposed to be present, so I made sure the people I challenged put the genie away." He states as I get to my feet. Glad I cleared out the living room.

"Leaira, could you please make the circle a magic free zone? A magic free zone removes all enchantments and unfair advantages." I ask as my fists begin to clench and I sweat a little, as I explain to him.

"Yes, Alan." Then she waves her hands around and mumbles something. Light flashes from the chalk on the floor and starts to swirl. It begins to form a wall of greenish yellow light.

"You see the genie acts a referee for us and must remain impartial. They actually get to judge a winner, unless the challenge is combat. Then it's left to the last man standing." I state as her spell finishes. Hopefully this light show is convincing.

"Everyone I challenged preferred combat to the death. I assume that's not what you chose." He sneers like he's got me figured out.

"You're right, I didn't choose that." I say to him as I grab a note book off my coffee table and the pen next to it. I start writing down three questions, then I close the note book. I hand the note book to Leaira.

"I have written three questions in that note book. Leaira will ask the questions I have written. Each time you answer a question you step into or out of the circle. If you lie or answer a question wrong the circle won't let you pass. The last one in the circle is the loser." I state.

"I agree to your challenge, but not the terms. If she is truly impartial she should make up the questions or at least let me pick a few of them." He actually show another emotion other than annoyed. It's anger with a slight mix of annoyance. I step towards Leaira.

"Ok, how about this. Each of us just ask one question each to each other and when there is a question of a tie, Leaira asks the finally question." I want this over.

"Alright. I agree to that." He says waiting for something else to annoy him.

"If you will stand opposite of me we can get this started and over with." I say trying to sound confident. Leaira is still holding the note book.

"As you wish." He cracks a smile, thinking my confidence is cute.