IMMOLATION: Chapter 10

“By y'all, see you next time,” Leaves Early called to Feather Weight and Bird Feather as they departed.

She was about to climb into her own car when the others, Green Tea, Tea Leaves and Early Bird, came out of the cafe and she waved to them as well. Tea Leaves perked up, as he usually did when she payed him any attention, and he hurried over to her. The other two, Green Tea and Early Bird, nodded to him before going their own separate ways.

“Well howdy, Tea Leaves,” she said brightly, though she wanted more to be on her way than to stand around chatting. Tea Leaves was nice, in a fatherly sort of way, but she knew he, like so many other men his age, still thought of themselves as young and attractive.

“Ah, yes, Leaves Early, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind joining me for a quick drink?” Tea Leaves asked.

Leaves Early made herself blush to boost the nice old mans moral before she turned him down.

“Why Tea Leaves, are you asking me on a date?” she asked with feigned excitement. “Why what would the others think?”

Tea Leaves recovered quickly from his own obvious embarrassment. “Oh, no, I simply have some questions on your design,” he said, “But it's more of an academic curiosity and so I didn't feel it worth bringing up in our meeting.”

“Right,” Leaves Early said in a conspiratorial tone and winked at him, “Well, I'm sorry Tea Leaves but I do actually have plans for this evening,” she lied easily, hoping to let Tea Leaves down gently but quickly.

“Oh, well it would only take a few minutes really,” Tea Leaves pressed on and Leaves Early felt her smile slip a little. “But, you see, I left my notes at my hotel and so, um, I didn't feel it appropriate to invite you there, you can imagine how that would sound, so that's why I thought we could meet somewhere...” Tea Leaves trailed off, anxious and hopeful.

Leaves Early rolled her eyes and sighed, knowing she'd never be able to shake Tea Leaves off of her if she continued being gentle with him.

“I'm sorry, Tea Leaves, but I'm just not that interested in you,” she still tried to conceal some of the bluntness in her voice but the words themselves could not be so easily sugar coated.

Tea Leaves frowned. “Young lady,” he said with a shocking amount of prudery, “I am old enough to be your father and would never deign to such an improper relationship. I honestly have questions regarding your field and would appreciate some of your time in answering them.”

Leaves Early wilted slightly and now she blushed for real.

“Oh, I'm sorry Tea Leaves, I just thought—

“I know precisely what you thought,” Tea Leaves blustered, “And while you are an attractive woman, I would think that you'd understand that there comes a time in life when people stop concerning themselves so much with such things.”

Leaves Early couldn't hold Tea Leaves withering gaze and she looked away. He was so like her father, seeing through her flashy show to the insecurities she hid below. Perhaps that was why she hadn't spoken to her dad all these years.

Tea Leaves pushed back his hair and composed himself. “Now then,” he said in his usual, calm tones, “I'm flying back out this evening and if you are indeed busy, then I suppose I can wait for our next meeting to ask you my questions,” he turned to leave.

“No, Tea Leaves, wait,” Leaves Early called to him. “I'm sorry, I would love to go over your questions.”

Tea Leaves smiled and then nodded.

“Did you have any particular place in mind?” she asked him.

“No, but I do like trying new places and there were a number of pubs not far from here.”

“Tell you what,” Leaves Early said, perking back up, “You go get your notes and meet me back here in an hour. I've been meaning to try out this place down the street. The parking's terrible but we can walk from here.”

Tea Leaves nodded his thanks, got into his rental car and Leaves Early watched him drive off. She climbed into her own car, a sporty little thing with a soft top she could fold back if she wanted. She could go home, change her clothes and come back. She didn't live that far away but somehow she thought it would only increase the awkwardness between her and Tea Leaves. Sure he'd been friendly towards her, but now that she thought about it, he was friendly towards everyone. So many years of special treatment, being the only girl in the physics department worth looking at...it was all so shallow and she hated herself for it, but she had come to expect everyone to treat her that way, and she had to admit, deep down, she liked it.

The music on the radio didn't make her feel any better but it did help to distract her. She decided not to go home and change, even if it was into something more practical, more appropriate. She tapped her hand on the middle console, in rhythm with the music. As she did, she remembered she still had the plans, the real plans in the compartment of the console. She'd have to find a better place to store those in case something happened and the wrong people saw them.

The hour passed without incident and Tea Leaves returned, holding a small notebook in his hands. He was wearing a different suit jacket. Leaves Early got out of her car and she lead the way. A couple streets down, Leaves Early stopped and turned suddenly, almost knocking Tea Leaves over as she opened the door to a bar.

“Sorry,” Leaves Early said, “Almost walked right by it.”

Inside would have been quiet were it not for the radio playing. A few people sat concentrated around the bar.

“So, tell me, what are these questions you have?” Leaves Early asked once they'd settled down in a booth in the back corner.

Tea Leaves opened his notebook and rifled through its pages until he found what he was looking for. He had drawn a rough sketch of one of the nuclear power plants they were targeting.

“So my question is, or I should say my first question, is why doesn't the whole thing blow up like a bomb? Shouldn't we be concerned about that happening?”

Leaves Early shook her head and pointed to the part of the reactor where the uranium was. “See, when a reactor goes critical, it melts, not explodes. To get it to explode like a bomb is actually a very tricky operation. That's why a number of countries have nuclear power but not nuclear weapons.”

“I see,” Tea Leaves said, taking back his notebook and flipping through its pages once more. He paused, as if thinking, and then looked up suddenly. “My goodness I forgot about the drinks.”

Tea Leaves almost jumped to his feet as he moved to stand up.

“Oh sit down, they'll come and ask us what we want,” Leaves Early said, taking hold of Tea Leaves jacket and tugging him back towards his seat.

“I do apologize, Leaves Early,” He said, “But that's just not how we British folk do things. Now what would you like?”

Leaves Early gave him her order and Tea Leaves made his way to the bar. If it had been any other guy, Leaves Early probably wouldn't have been willing to let him get her drink like that. She knew of too many women who'd had something put in their drinks by charming young men, only to wake up the next morning with no memory of what happened once they'd finished their drink. Leaves Early laughed at the improbability of the thought of Tea Leaves doing something like that as he came back to the table with their drinks.

“What's so funny?” He asked, sliding her glass over to her.

“Oh nothing,” She said, “You're just a doll, that's all,” She took a sip from her drink.

“So what do you think?” Tea Leaves asked.

“Of what?”

“Of this?” Tea Leaves pointed to his notebook, still in front of Leaves Early.

“Oh, that,” Leaves Early stated, quickly scanning the page as she took another sip of her drink.

The writing made no sense. She looked again and blinked a couple of times trying to clear her vision.

“Are you alright?” Tea Leaves asked, reaching over and steadying her as she began to wobble in her chair.

“I don't...

“Have you had anything to eat today?” Tea Leaves asked, concern growing in his voice.

Leaves Early tried to think back through her day. She wasn't sure if she had eaten or not. She usually skipped breakfast, didn't she?

“Oh dear,” Tea Leaves was saying as he guided her out of the bar. “Alcohol on an empty stomach, what was I thinking? I am so sorry my dear, here, let me take you home. You can come back for your car later.”

Leaves Early made what she thought was a brave attempt at a nod but the world was spinning too much and her stomach threatened to mutiny if she made any such sudden movements and so she settled for a bit of a wobble of her head. Before she knew it, they were in Tea Leaves car and she was muttering directions for him to get her home. Through the nausea and delirium she could feel her embarrassment growing. Two sips, even on an empty stomach, should not have been enough to wipe her out this badly.

Leaves Early looked out the window. Several minutes passed until she realized what she was seeing. They were leaving the city.

“This ain't right,” Leaves Early was slurred as she turned to Tea Leaves.

Tea Leaves was steering with his knees as he fiddled with something in his jacket. Before Leaves Early could make out what was in his hands, Tea Leaves had pressed a small cloth up to her face, it smelled sweet.

Blackness.