Soul Census - War of Shadows - Book 1

Chapter 1.3 - Orientation

Earth Date: 9th of April 1933 CE
Location: Reflection Room, Soul Sphere, Earth

Maddock listened as the Director and Wolfe spilled it out-- stuff about life after death, something called reincarnation and some dingus called a Soul Sphere.

He rubbed his temples, trying to will a throbbing headache away.

“Are we boring you, Willem?” Wolfe said.

Maddock glared at him. Something about the way he said it-- before any of the suits could react, Maddock charged at Wolfe, grabbing him by the collar and bullied him into the wall.

“Mister Maddock!” he heard Black say.

He was up close to Wolfe, who stared back with a smirk that demanded a pasting. Just as Maddock pulled back his fist to land one, the wall caved in-- like stretching rubber. The two of them went falling through it, outside of the room.

They landed on the ground and into a hallway. Maddock lifted himself up slowly, taking in his new surroundings. The hallway went down about twenty feet in both directions and was similar to the room in appearance. Same black onyx floors and walls that were either smoked glass or matte white. One thing that was different was the ceiling, it draped down in waves, almost like a fabric hanging from it, but the texture looked more like... sea shells.

Wolfe jumped up before he did and rather unexpectedly lent him a hand up. Maddock slapped it away, glowering at him on his way to standing.

“Maddock,” Black said, stepping in between them. “Do you want a job or do you want to go back into the streets to be rat food?”

In the better light of the hallway, he could not help but notice those pretty hazel eyes, along with silky black hair that hung past her shoulders. As he looked down he noticed she had nice bubs too.

“Are you listening to me?” she said, snapping her fingers in his face. “Up here.”

At that moment a group of agents crowded in on both sides of the hallway, all dressed like Wolfe. He counted about seven, some appeared to be carrying heaters. Might be a good fight if it wasn’t for the guns.

“I can easily have you shoved back out into the streets to starve and die,” she said.

“Bulls***,” Maddock said. “I was on my way to getting a good job when I had to save you and your goof from getting pasted in that alley.”

Black tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

Maddock could tell she was not believing it. Truth was she was right... he really did not have any future out there. He glanced around the strange place, the agents, and finally settling his sight on her. This was an unexpected evening, and for once it was a set of events he could not predict. And he liked that.

“Alright, on two conditions,” he said, then looked up thoughtful. “Actually, make that three conditions.”

“You’re in no position to make...” Black started, but he cut her off.

“First, I don’t want to hear any more history lessons-- I learn better on the job, so just throw me into the fray. I’ll learn as I go.”

Black crossed her arms and nodded silently.

“Two... I need some java and a ciggy. I haven’t had either in hours and it makes me real mean without them.”

“Fine then,” she said.

“And three...”

“That was three already,” Wolfe jumped in. “’java and a ciggy’-- that’s two things.”

“I guess he can’t count,” Black said. “Go on Mister Maddock. Spill it out so we can get this over with.”

He walked up to Wolfe, who tried to step back, but this time his back was against a wall that didn’t bulge. Holding him by the collar, he brought him up close. Face-to-face, Maddock smiled as he saw Wolfe twitch.

“Three...” Maddock said. “I gott’a have one of these here spiffy suits.”