ROTU: Chapter Thirty-One

"Are you seriously gonna bail on your own birthday party?" Sean asked Kaelon the next day. He shook his head. "You can't. I forbid it." He popped the top off the beer he had just grabbed from Kaelon's fridge and entered the living room. "Besides, you've been moping around here for weeks ever since you last saw that artist."

"Jess," Kaelon said quietly. He sighed and looked up at the paintings on his wall, then pushed the button on the side of his recliner to release the footrest. He leaned the recliner as far back as it would go and took a long drink of his beer. "You know I don't do clubs. I'd rather stay home and watch a movie."

"No way. Besides the only reason you don't have fun around all those fine women is because you don't speak their language."

"What? Shallow conversation involving the latest Hollywood gossip? No thanks. That type of conversation I'd rather avoid regardless of who it is with. In comparison, staying home takes the win every time."

"Well, I'm not letting you hide on your birthday. Not this time. Even though you look young, you'll be thirty-four." Sean stood before him, blocking Kaelon's view of the paintings. "Pretty soon you will be too old for anything fun. Gotta live while we still can."

Kaelon groaned. "Whatever. Not gonna happen. Let's just go rafting tomorrow instead."

"Stand up. We've got to get you out of these sweats. You've probably been wearing the same ones for weeks." He grinned and stepped side-to-side as he snapped his fingers. "Badum-ba-badum-ba-badum-ba… I've got sunshiiiine…" he sang loudly as he held out his hand to Kaelon.

"No," Kaelon said with a smile.

"Finish it. You know it always works. I've got sunshiiiine…" Sean sang again.

Kaelon shook his head.

"That's it. I'm taking control." Sean clapped his hands together once. " So, here's what we're going to do. We're gonna do a shot and then you're gonna get in the shower. In one hour, we will have all our shallow conversational friends and co-workers at the club, waiting to wish you a happy birthday. It's gonna be great."

Kaelon responded with an eye roll.

An hour later, he followed Sean into Shark's, a popular nightclub in the area. After thanking everyone for the "Happy Birthdays" thrown his way, Kaelon decided that the only way he was going to get through the night without wallowing in the corner thinking about Jessica was to accept the birthday shots people kept pushing in front of him.

Less than a couple of hours later, he was shouting at two girls standing next to him at the bar so they would hear him over the music. "Have you ever heard of String Theory?"

"What's that?" one shouted back.

"Broadly, it theoretically explains how everything is connected!"

"Sounds hot," her friend said as her gaze dropped to Kaelon's mouth.

Kaelon took a minute to answer. "Well, heat can influence how much the strings are vibrating."

The two girls rolled their eyes and walked away just as Sean appeared behind them.

"Excuse me, ladies," Sean said as he moved past them, giving them a dimpled smile.

The girls giggled and eyed him as they continued on their way.

Kaelon downed the rest of his drink, then turned away to order another.

Sean turned back to Kaelon. "What are you doing?" he hissed. "That was an opportunity."

"I don't want that opportune—" he couldn’t form the word, "opportune…whatever. How can they not even know what String Theory is? It's basic quantum knowledge." He looked around. "Besides, you told me to socerize—" he hiccupped. "I mean socer—social—ize," he stressed. "If I numb myself," he rattled his glass, "I can handle the lack of good conversation here. In an altered state, I have more fun sharing knowledge because I don't care if they listen. I just enjoy hearing myself talk when I take these people down the rabbit hole."

"People don't want to go down the rabbit hole, Kaelon."

"Yes, they do. They just don't know it yet." He spotted another group of girls. "Besides, this is your fault—what you wanted." He raised his eyebrows. "Time to socerize."

Sean shook his head as he watched Kaelon approach the group of girls, only to have them turn and walk away minutes later.

"Poor guy is just too much of a geek," said Sean. He walked over to his friend.

"I don't know what's wrong with errbody?" Kaelon mumbled. "This stuff will fascinate them if they just give it a—" he stared up to the second-floor balcony of the club and glimpsed Jalena gesturing to another girl on the first floor not too far from where he stood.

"Jessica!" he whispered in shock. He blinked several times and shook his head as if to clear a mirage before him.

The girl pointed toward the back door leading out to the balcony, and Jalena gave her a nod.

"Jessica!" Kaelon yelled as Jalena turned and disappeared through the crowd. His voice drowned within the club's music.

"Where are you going?" shouted Sean as he turned from the girl he was conversing with.

Kaelon ignored him. He disappeared into the crowd on his way to the club patio.

When Kaelon couldn't find Jalena anywhere inside, he hurriedly exited the club. He saw Jalena and the other girl walking fast through the parking lot and followed without hesitation. As the two moved closer to the alley, he started to call out Jessica's name but stopped as her friend hurried up to a couple at the edge of the parking lot.

Shamira's eyes flashed as she stepped between a man and a woman arguing. She caught the man's wrist just before it hit the woman's face. "You hit her again, I'll break your wrist."

Kaelon's eyes widened. "Damn."

Shamira, Jalena said as the man stormed off. The girl hurriedly trailed after him.

Shamira shook her head as she watched the girl.

As noble as your gestures to protect people are, said Jalena as the two moved further into the alley, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves.

She isn't that innocent in this case, Shamira responded. That woman thinks that if she makes him mad then he'll really care—just another fucked up interpretation of love on this planet. She caught Jalena's eye and smiled. I think we're gonna need a little flash to get Sitara's attention if she keeps dodging us like she did in the club. Shamira gestured to the alley. We may have to step it up a notch.

Jalena looked around. If we show her, it has to be quick. I'm sure Drasúl has been watching closely for surges of energy across the grid ever since our encounter in Costa Rica.

A young girl wearing ripped jeans and a tight yellow plaid shirt stepped out of the shadows. "You? Hey—the one following me. I know you," she said as she approached Jalena. "You are the lady with the wolf when I was four. I've had dreams about you—"

"Yes, Sitara, that was me," replied Jalena. "I didn't know you were who I was looking for then, but I do now."

"I'm Shaelin, not Sitara…even though you called me that in my dream. This is weird. Was the guy that tried to talk to me last week ago associated with you—the one with the light eyes?"

"Yes. His name is Shakou."

Sitara glanced at Shamira, flipped her long black hair over her shoulder, and straightened her shoulders. "What do you want?"

"If you come with us, I'll explain everything."

"Nah." She smacked her gum. "I don't do stranger danger."

"I think you already know that we will not harm you."

She eyed Shamira. "I liked how you stopped that guy because I hate seeing that—pretty much can't stand much about this place, so I'm moving."

"It exists everywhere," Shamira replied simply.

"Yeah, well whatever. I'm always up for a new adventure, but I'm already making plans to go overseas so I can't come with you. Gotta get the hell outta here," she turned on her heel and walked further into the alley, "but thanks for the offer, ladies."

Kaelon continued to follow Jalena and Shamira from a distance as they disappeared into the alley. He picked up his pace but stopped abruptly when he saw a quick flash of blue-white light. In the distance, he heard voices, but he couldn't make out the words. He shook his head to clear his buzzed brain but only succeeded in making himself dizzy. He put a hand against the building next to him for support and then continued.

"What the—? How did you just appear in front of me—?"

"It's called teleporting, Sitara," explained Jalena. "I'll tell you more about it when you come along."

Teleporting? Kaelon was sure he was hearing things.

"Are you ever going to leave me alone?" Sitara said.

"Eventually, yes, but you are very important to a mission we are involved in," Jalena explained. "Besides, I don't think you want us to leave you alone."

"What is it you want me to do?"

"For starters, come the fuck on," Shamira said in irritation. "We need to go."

"Look out, old school," Sitara said. "Just wait a sec."

"Old school?" Shamira raised an eyebrow and stepped forward.

Jalena put a hand on Shamira's shoulder. Easy. She turned sharply and stared back down the alley. "But, you are right. We do need to go."

What is it? Shamira asked Jalena.

She stared at the shadows for several seconds where Kaelon was slowly inching his way forward. Nothing.

She turned to Sitara. "Sitara, I can take you anywhere you want to go in the world, but first I just ask that you come with us and hear me out. If what I say doesn't make sense or isn't for you, then I will bring you back home." She handed her the gallery's business card. "If you want to meet us, we will be at the coffee house written on the back of this card at eight in the morning."

Kaelon reached the end of the alley just after Jalena and Shamira disappeared in a burst of blue-white light. He shook his head. Shouldn't have drunk so much.

When he couldn't hear or see anything more, Kaelon sighed and shuffled back to the club parking lot. He slid to the ground against the building. He nodded as he stretched his arm out to the side and turned it to pat the building. "Not bad for club time." He leaned his head back against the brick behind him and smiled as his thoughts returned to Jalena. "Best birthday ever," he whispered.

The volume of the music increased as a security guard opened the front doors to the club. "No loitering," he told Kaelon.

"Okay, okay," Kaelon said as he attempted to get off the ground.

"There you are!" Sean said as he exited the doors behind the guard and strode toward him. "I have been looking for you everywhere. Answer your phone, already!"

Kaelon blinked lazily. He shrugged. "Don' know where it is."

"What are you doing out here? Are you sick?"

Kaelon shook his head. "Nah, I'm happy."

"Well, let's go be happy in the club."

Kaelon shook his head harder. "She's not in there—she left—I didn't dream her up after all, Sean. This is good…really good. I should've just ran up and grabbed her…" he threw out his hands like he was grabbing something in front of him, "but," he looked down at his legs, "I don't know if I can run."

Sean stared at Kaelon in confusion. "Who are you talking—? On second thought, I think you've had way too much already. Let's go home."

"I love home. My paintings are there."

Sean rolled his eyes and held out his hand to Kaelon.

"She's the one, Sean." Kaelon nodded and belched into his fist. "Yes, I need to follow her—she moves fast—How is she so fast?" He laughed.

"You didn't let one of those crazy chics buy you a drink did you or take any drugs from anyone out here," Sean said as he pulled Kaelon to his feet.

Kaelon shook his head. "No way. Foreign particles that alter or cause disruption to a balanced system can lead to destructive interference."

"Like alcohol?"

Kaelon swayed and grinned. "Yes!"

Sean rolled his eyes. "Come on, Doctor Quantum. Let's get to the car." He pulled Kaelon's arm across his shoulders for more support.

"God, she looked good—jeans, black boots, and this black…" he sighed "…shirt. Did you see her? I need to find her—she's the one."

"You need to find yo bed first."

Kaelon grinned. "I've got sunshiiiine…" he sang loudly.

Sean's smile matched his own.

"On a cloudy day," they continued the song together loudly as they walked to the car. "When it's cold outsiiiide, I've got the month of May…"

Sean helped Kaelon into the car. Kaelon pulled on his seatbelt unsuccessfully more than once until he let go of it and shrugged. Sean clicked it for him and started the car.

"Thanks, man." Kaelon sighed. "Love can shift the quantum field, Sean. Did you know that? No one gets it though because they don’t understand the energy, but I know. That's why I love that I'm in love. Love brought her back to me, and now everything we know will change."

"Hopefully quantum love doesn't shift everything too much. I still have some traveling I wanna do."

"Love provides more places to travel to! It expands awareness and when awareness expands, more paths appear. Love is gonna transform the world, Sean. I just know it."

"Yeah yeah. Hopefully, it will help transform the hangover I think you're gonna have tomorrow."

"It will." Kaelon sighed and leaned back against his seat. He closed his eyes. "It all changes now. It's what I've been waiting for, after all."

***