Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

Transitions II - I

  "It is pain," said Rook, leaning back against the wall with her rifle up against her shoulder, pointed skyward. "He cannot control it."

  "Fuck you, Tess. I can do pain."

  "No, I mean it is pain like a baby feels pain."

  "You callin' me a bab—"

  Rook spoke over him. "Why do babies cry?"

  "Because they're fuckin' babies?"

  "Why?" asked Malton, equally ignoring Viper.

  "Because they are feeling the most pain they have ever felt in their lives, though it is nothing to you and me. In the same way they do not know to avoid a flame, pain is learned. We do not know pain when we are born."

  "So you're saying that this sort of magic exhaustion is learned as well?"

  She shrugged. "I do not know. I am not awakened. But it seems the same. When he first cast his spells, he only felt the pain as the effects subsided. But his brain has learned. It rejects pushing himself too far, as mine rejects trying to punch a wall with such force that my knuckles would break."

  "So I gotta overcome that," said Viper.

  "I suppose."

  "It's not unheard of," said Malton, nodding slowly. "The human jaw is more than capable of shattering every tooth you have in your mouth, but our brains keep us from exerting that level of force. If we could reduce that reluctance somehow..." he wondered aloud. "Painkillers for magic?"

  "Or I could just get drunk," shrugged Viper.

  "Let's not, please."

  "You are trying to beat the survival instinct of the human mind," said Rook. "I do not expect it will be so easy."

  "Well, we've got all the time in the world."

  At that moment, Malton's phone rang. They all looked at it in surprise. His staff was under clear instructions not to bother him unless it was of the utmost importance. Viper sat up, wiping his brow with a towel. "If this is about the fuckin' Laushires again," he started.

  "I told them that could wait. They know how to deal with dear Thomas' libelous accusations," said Malton mildly, raising the phone to his ear. "This is Cornelius."

  "Is it libel if every word he says is the truth?" asked Rook dryly.

  "Even Laushire doesn't believe what he's saying, though," said Viper. "Just 'cause we do have an inside man in their whole fuckin' network that they can't do a damn thing about." He grinned. "You know they actually paid to replace every computer in the whole building?"

  "I did."

  "Poor fuckin' IT nerds. All that work and it didn't change a damn thing."

  "I'm pleased our trip wasn't wasted."

  Viper was about to say something else, but Malton held up his hand. "Right now?" he asked. "...I see. Do we know who it is?"

  "Who what is?"

  Malton shook his head. "Thank you. Keep me informed." He hung up.

  "Cor?" asked Viper uneasily. Malton looked surprised. Sure, his boss was good at improvising under pressure, but they all preferred a nice clean plan to last minute upheaval.

  "...Change of plans," he said at last.

  Viper sighed. "Well Tess, you win this round."