Part 17 (1/2)
”I don't think so,” said Danny.
”Why not?”
”Because I don't trust you enough to put my survival in your hands. How do I know that I won't be walking into a trap? Death, or a prison, or straight to one of the Families so they can use me as a pretext to restart the war with my my Family?” Family?”
Stone sighed. ”Your caution is admirable. Where was it when you were joining up with Eric? Here I tell you more than anyone else ever has about you and your power, but you can't bring yourself to trust the guy who tells you the truth, you'd rather trust that petty con man who wants to use you as a burglar.”
”I owe him,” said Danny.
”You already paid him everything you owed,” said Stone. ”You're square with him.”
”I owe him,” Danny repeated.
Stone said nothing, just looked at him.
Danny sat there under his gaze a few moments longer. He wanted to explain to Stone about how Eric had mostly been patient with him, had taught him. Yes, Eric was a bossy jerk. But what was between them wasn't just a debt. It was an obligation of the heart. It could not just disappear because he realized now that he didn't like what Eric wanted him to do. But the feeling wasn't logical. He couldn't defend it. He had nothing to say.
Stone sighed. ”You can leave my room now.”
”Are you mad at me?” asked Danny.
”I think you're a fool, but I'm also glad that at least you're learning some caution.”
”I've got to do one job with Eric so he has some money ahead when I leave.”
”Leave?” asked Stone. ”Where are you going?”
”Like you said. To my new teacher.”
Stone sighed again, but now with relief instead of sorrow. ”I'll find out who's in a position to take you,” he said.
”And I'll try not to burglarize a house with dead or dying people in it.”
”Remember what I told you-none of your swag comes here.”
”I made the deal, I'll stick to it.”
Stone nodded.
”And thanks,” said Danny. ”For calling me here. For offering me a teacher.”
”It's nice to know you're not alone in the world, isn't it?” asked Stone.
But I am am alone in the world, thought Danny. No other gatemage. n.o.body I've known longer than a few days. The name of Stone's group was well chosen. Orphans. alone in the world, thought Danny. No other gatemage. n.o.body I've known longer than a few days. The name of Stone's group was well chosen. Orphans.
That's what I am, thought Danny. Nice to have a name for it.
10.
INSIDE M MAN.
There was a greater-than-usual police presence in Georgetown, so Eric ruled it out for their ”first” real burglary. ”We didn't actually take anything,” Eric explained, ”so the Wheelwright house doesn't count. That was a rescue, anyway, not a burglary.” Eric was talking now as if the whole rescue thing had been his idea.
”Calling any any burglary our 'first' implies that there'll be a second one,” said Danny. burglary our 'first' implies that there'll be a second one,” said Danny.
Eric gazed at him with icy calm. ”You won't be able to stop.”
”Who's going to make me?” said Danny. This was sounding more and more like an ordinary argument with one of the cousins.
”Not me,” said Eric. ”I know I can't make you do anything.”
”Then I'll stop,” said Danny, ”when I say I'll stop.”
”Say what you want to,” said Eric, ”you're going to do it again because you actually like it.”
”You don't know anything about me.”
”To be inside a stranger's home, while they're there asleep, knowing you didn't trip any alarms because you didn't open any doors, knowing the motion detectors are off in case somebody in the family gets up to go to the john during the night, so you can go wherever you want, take whatever you want. You're like an angel, you're so powerful.”
”So you've done this before,” said Danny.
”A couple of times,” said Eric. ”When I was about your age. n.o.body had alarms or motion detectors, not in Buena Vista, not in the kind of neighborhood my family lived in. A lot of people slept with their windows wide open. Yeah, I walked around a little. Took a couple of things. Looked at a couple of girls who slept naked on a hot night. Who wouldn't?”
”Me,” said Danny.
”What are you going to be when you grow up, a minister?”
”Not a burglar,” said Danny.
”Gay, that's what you'll be, if you won't look at a naked girl in her sleep.”
”Keep it up,” said Danny, ”and I'll decide the Wheelwright house was the last.”
”Lighten up, Danny,” said Eric. ”I'm sorry if you think I'm irritating, but I promise you, I'm the normal one.”
”It's depressing, but I believe you,” said Danny.
They both pretended they were joking.
Eric led Danny to a neighborhood called Spring Valley, out Ma.s.s Ave, almost to the Dalecarlia Reservoir. There was a sidewalk running along one side of Sedgwick Street, and they strolled along like any ordinary teenagers, scouting the houses.
”Three dormer windows. Big house,” said Eric.
”Kids,” said Danny. ”Lots of them-bikes and a tricycle. They won't have any money.”
”Or they have so much money they can afford afford kids.” kids.”