Guardians scene 3

A knock on the door. Anicka startled from the settee in a flurry of panic. She opened the door very slowly, certain she would come face to face with a police officer holding handcuffs.



She was shocked to discover an elegantly dressed young man, his shoulder leaning on the door frame, a charming smile on his face.

“Welcome to the club!” he exclaimed throwing up his arms.

“Err…?”

“Sorry, that was too much, wasn’t it? I’m Robin, nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand hesitantly, while her brain registered the fact that he could not possibly belong to any police force – unless they employed dandies nowadays.

“Anicka.”

“I know, wolf-girl! May I come in?”

She waved him inside, frowning.

“What do you mean, wolf-girl? And how did you get in anyway? Did the neighbour let you in?”

“Nah, I’ve got my special powers. Doors are never locked for me.”

“Oh, great! A thief!”

He just grinned and threw himself on a chair. He took up the book she had left on the table.

“Ah, Hamlet! I think I get your story now.”

Anicka was becoming increasingly irritated, on top of being completely baffled. She had been thoroughly shaken by the episode on Constantinus’s doorstep and was in no mood for bantering. She closed the door and folded her arms across her chest.

“Will you please explain who you are and what you’re doing here?”

He gently put down the book and gave her a flashy, innocent smile.

“I can’t really tell you who I am until you take the oath. And that’s why I’m here, we’re recruiting you.”

“We?”

“Sorry, can’t tell you yet. What I can tell you is why I called you wolf-girl. Your last name is Volkova, no?”

“Yes, your point being?”

“What does it mean in Russian?”

“Err… well, wolf.”

He nodded.

“I can also tell you you’ve had a near-death experience not so long ago, and you woke up from it restless and in great need to do something meaningful with your life.”

He looked about the place with a look of dismay.

“Guess you didn’t get far, huh?”

Anicka sighed.

“I don’t know how that is your business, but where did you get this information?”

“Not on your Facebook account, that’s for sure.”

“Unless you somehow got access to my computer files, which I think very unlikely, you must have talked to my cousin.”

“Cousin? Does she look like you?”

“Don’t play coy with me! Dmitri sent you, didn’t he? To teach me a lesson?”

Robin shook his head.

“Ye of little faith! The only Dmitri I know is Shostakovich and he has been dead for a while. No, hun, I’m here to offer you a job.”

She was taken aback at that, but still very suspicious.

“What kind of job?”

“An extremely meaningful one.”

Anicka rolled her eyes.

“Is it street promotion?”

“I’d say it’s a little more subtle, and a lot more fun.”

“For someone who wants to recruit me, you don’t give a lot of information.”

He shrugged.

“I’m here because you’ve come into your powers. You’re ready to join us now, if you want to.”

“What powers?”

“You just got really angry and you froze up some dude, didn’t you?”

Anicka gasped.

“How do you know that?”

“I just do, okay?”

“So what are you saying, that I’m Medusa or something?”

“No, he’ll live, don’t worry. He just won’t like money any more. You’re a greed-eater.”

“A what?

“Greed-eater,” he repeated happily. “You have the ability to suck the greed out of people.”

Anicka stared at him, open-mouthed.

“Okay, you’re crazy. I think I’m having a really bad dream and it’s time to wake up now.”

Robin laughed.

“Actually, the dream is about to start, but it’s generally a pretty nice one. The bonuses are really worth it.”

“What does the job entail? Do I go chasing Bill Gates to turn his eyes bloody so he gives everything to charities?”

He gave her a lopsided smile.

“Told you I can’t give you more info until you take the oath.”

“What kind of oath is that?”

“You’ll like it. It’s swearing allegiance to Gaia.”

“Really? The animal protection organisation?”

“Nope, more like Mother Earth.”

“Ha, ha, funny.”

“That’s what you want, no? To change things, to make it better before it is too late? That is what we do, and you can be part of it.”

Anicka grimaced, at a loss for words.

“Does it pay well?”

“Wolf-girl, the only hunger you have is for meaning; money slides of you like rain. You’ll never want to keep it, even if you had it. I bet you don’t even miss it now.”

She stared at him. It was true. Though it was hard to get by on practically nothing, she felt more independent living from one meal to the other, jumping through hoops to stay afloat. She was feeling a lot more alive now than she ever had before.

“I still can’t decide if you’re a psychopath, a thief or a very good con artist. Either way, I don’t know…”

“Oh, come on, did I make such a bad first impression? It’s my first time recruiting! I should have brought Leo with me.”

“Who’s Leo?”

“The first one in this city to be recruited.”

“Is he your boss?”

Robin laughed in astonishment.

“Of course not! But he’s definitely the alpha male of the pack, so to speak.”

“Grand. How big is this organization, if it does exist?”

“Curious, huh? Well, there are about a hundred people who are “employed”, but they are working under cover. Four of us are real activists.”

“Hmm. Well, I don’t know. It’s weird to sigh a contract before you know the details, no?”

“It’s not a written contract. It’s an oath, and by the look of you, you’ve already taken it in your heart.”

“But if I take the oath, I have to work for you guys?”

“The oath is binding, but how you’ll honour it is up to you. There are different possibilities.”

Anicka sighed.

“I don’t supposed you’ll now take me to a basement and steal my kidneys?”

Robin smiled.

“No worries. Our headquarters are in a public place. Let’s go!”

He enthusiastically got up and extended his right hand towards her.

“Welcome, sister!”

She gave him the hive five back, grimacing.

<I have now officially gone insane,> she told herself, following her visitor down the stairs.