Sterling arrived back at Isaac's apartment complex. He made his way to the bedroom sitting on the bed and closed his eyes. A flash of white light forced its way out of Isaac's body and he fell to the ground in a loud thud.
Sterling stared at the limp, unconscious body on the floor. Bending down he picked up Isaac effortlessly, placing him on the bed with care. Sterling smiled at Isaac, he wasn't sure how he could repay him, but promised himself he would find a way.
He dressed in a pair of denim jeans and a simple black v-neck shirt, the shirt strained as Sterling had a more muscular build than Isaac. Looking in the mirror, relieved to see himself looking back. He ran his fingers through his black disheveled hair, his angelic vibrant blue eyes staring back at him. He rubbed his clean shaven chin, hair that will never grow, unlike Ray's beard.
He placed a glass of water and Tylenol on the side table, and noticed a picture of Isaac and Genevieve. He picked up the frame, gazing at Genevieve, her sunshine hair flew around her in what looked to be a windy day. She had her head tilted back as she laughed, hugging her brother. He smiled at the photo and placed it gingerly back on the nightstand and left the apartment making his way to the car, where Ray waited.
"There he is, back in all his glory" Sterling shut the door and rolled his eyes. Ray turned on the car and they drove away.
"At the bar you said you settled the tab. How does one do that?"
"It's called Money. You must have it if you want to live comfortably these days. Hate to break it to you but people now don't give away luxuries to false gods anymore."
Sterling cocked his head to the side "How do I acquire it?"
"Well people work, like I did as a professor. But Trolls no longer need to worry about it anymore. Sylvie is going to love to explain it, so I won't spoil it for her."
Sterling kept his eyes forward "That's good news for them. But I was their leader how would it look if I begged for money now?"
Ray nodded and smiled "I figured you would feel that way, that's why I came up with a back-up plan. After you were taken, I held on to your belongings all this time in good condition. Each item would be worth millions, you have enough to last several life times. After that you're on your own."
Sterling placed his hand on Ray's arm, he turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised. Sterling with sincere eyes replied "Thank you"
"No prob."
A few minutes passed and the two arrived at Ray's basement suite in Chasity Lake. Ray being a large troll he needed a lot more sleep than the average man and crashed on the couch moments after they arrived. Sterling didn't need to sleep and observed the suite, finding all its imperfections. The rickety floor boards, the chipped olive green painted walls, a tap that wouldn't stop dripping.
Sterling thought, if Isaac's place was minimalistic Ray's place was downright naked. The basement was furnished, with only a pull out couch and a flat screen tv. The snores coming from the massive body on the yellow pull out had him cover his ears and storm out of the suite.
Roaming the empty streets of Chasity Lake watching as light after light turned off from apartment building windows, signaling the end of the day. The main road led up to the border sign, he knew he could not pass it. Tilting his head in the woods as he glimpsed at something white in the distance, a glimmer of possibility. He ran the distance, weaving around branches, and leaping over trunks, birds chirped at the new comer as he pushed on. The dot started to take shape and he stopped in front of a broken down white house.
The colonial style home was condemned for what looked to be a while, the exterior white paint was sun bleached and burned exposing the bare wood. Sterling opened the door to have it fall off its hinges, rats scurried out. He entered the home pushing aside spider webs as large as curtains from his face. The pungent stench of mildew and decay trapped in the stale air.
Sterling smiled and clapped his hands together, he found his home. With enhanced speed he went to work clearing out the decay and garbage making a pile outside the front. After several hours the dilapidated mansion's main entrance floor was ready to renovate. Pleased with a night of hard work he picked up the door on the floor, shimmying it back into place, he left to stroll through the main street.
Sterling sat on a bench, watching the sunrise over the town park. The sounds and minds where quite, the silence reminded him of his prison. He sighed taking in the fresh air and watching as the lazy sun stretched its light onto the town.
The sound of feet hitting the pavement had him sitting a bit taller. Music filled his ears with an upbeat melody he didn't recognize, he tilted his head at the strange noise. Listening as it grew closer, turning his head at the direction of the sound. There he saw her, Genevieve dressed in a tight shirt, equally tight pants, running for what looked to be pleasure. He watched as her hair pulled back swaying with every step, her skin glistened and pinked from the heat of her exertion. Sterling watched as her full lips mouthed the words she was listening too in her ear piece.
He gulped as she bounced with every step completely unaware of his presence. Licking his lips as he watched a bead of sweat run down her neck. When she was completely out of his sight. He let out a long breath scratching the back of his neck reflecting on what had happened. He couldn't take his eyes off her, she was brighter than the sun waking up that morning. Would her sweet smell of vanilla grapefruit have the faint scent of salt from her sweat? He could feel his body reacting, stiffening longing to trace that tantalizing bead of sweat with his finger. A chill ran down his spine as he realized for the first time in his long existence he felt like a man, and that thought terrified him.
"Ray, Ray get up" Sterling yelled, pulling the sheet off his unconscious friend, being met with pickle printed boxer shorts.
Ray sat up rubbing his face with his hands "Come on man, it's early."
Sterling bounced from foot to foot, hardly able to contain his happiness "We have a considerable amount of work to do."
Ray sniffed a shirt from the floor before he put it on. "Then have at it. I quit my job so I can do nothing"
"I found a dwelling for us. I want to show it to you."
Ray zipped up his jeans "But we have a place, right here" He opened his arms gesturing to the suite.
Sterling examined the place with a look of disgust "This isn't large enough for all the troll leaders. I am bound to this town, I will need them to come to me. The place I found is large enough to house them all"
Ray sat on the couch rubbing sunscreen on his arm. "How did you get it in the middle of the night anyway? How soon can we move in?"
"Right away, the place is vacant." Ray finished applying the sunscreen and mumbled "fine" Sterling took off towards the car and Ray reluctantly followed.
Inside the decapitated mansion, the entry way was cleared of debris, sunshine lit up the room revealing the homes injuries and secrets. The walls exposed brittle wood, black mold oozed out of crevasses, shattered windows, a massive hole in the ceiling displaying the second floor, raining dust, dirt and soiled debris that clung to their clothes and hair.
Sterling swung out his arms, his eyes wide and twinkled with imagination as he showcased the mansion. "Well what do you think?"
Ray scratched his beard "I don't think I'll be bringing my tv anytime soon"
"Sure, but look at this place it just needs a heavy clean and paint on the walls"
"And a new floor, electrical, plumbing, windows, walls and roof."
Sterling crossed his arm around his chest and raised his eyebrow. "We used to build homes with visions of the possibilities, the layout and mapping out how to attain them. This home is already a reality, it stands. When has man shied away from hard work? When have you for that matter?"
Ray let out a sigh, examining the rickety home "You win old man. Lucky for you, your best friend happens to have worked in construction, carpentry, electrician and plumbing. Okay, let's go to the hardware store and get some supplies"
Sterling hooted "Now that we have acquired a residence I must contact the troll leaders, notifying them of my presence and intentions."
Sterling lifted his chin up, closing his eyes letting the mumbled thoughts rush through him. He could visualize the voices and identified all three groups, those of human and Fae origins, he disconnected the mental link only hearing the inner thoughts of Trolls. He focused on the troll leaders and made his presence known to them,
"My friends, my brothers and sisters hear me. I am Sterling, the hybrid and leader of the trolls. I have escaped my prison that the Fae's have entrapped me in. Returning, motivated more than ever to rid the earth from its plague, the Fae's. We are the higher species and it's time for us to come out of the shadows. The time for vengeance is upon us and through our victory the world shall be ours once more"
He could hear a few leaders inner thoughts cheered at the prospect. Some stayed quite, Sterling listened to their concerns about the future and the reluctance to change. Ray shifted his eyes back and forth, not joining in on the mental meeting. Sterling glanced over at his friend studying his reaction, narrowing his eyes when Ray was avoiding his and continued addressing the troll leaders.
"Shortly after my release, we came across a setback, the Fae's have conjured a secondary prison. I am bound to the borders of Chasity Lake and request all trolls to research and find the means of my freedom only then could we succeed. I will connect again in a week's time. Remember for all troll-kind"
"For all troll-kind" repeated from the trolls linked in his mind. He smiled and broke the connection. Ray rubbed his hands together, staring at Sterling and exclaimed.
"Now that's over with, let's go and renovated this place"
A few of hours later, supplies and tools purchased and brought to the mansion. Sterling worked on ripping the moldy drywall and rotted wood from the walls, while Ray inspected the electrical wires mapping out the house. The renovations of the mansion was coming along in rapid speed with the two using their extraordinary gifts. The radio started to play one of Ray's favorite songs, pumping his fists in the air.
"Yeah this is my jam" Ray dropped his sketch pad and pencil, flashing towards the radio to turn up the volume, unnecessarily with their superior hearing.
"What are you blabbering about?" Sterling asked as he watched Ray move around the floor, arms flailing, legs kicking he was concerned his friend was having a seizure. His arctic blues widen as Ray started to sing and jump in the air to the rhythm of the beat with a large smile plastered on his face
"Come on join me, it's fun" Before Sterling could answer Ray linked his arm with Sterling's spinning him in a country square dance. Sterling could have resisted or have Ray immobilized but decided to join in on his friends amusement. Thinking to himself that although touching made him uncomfortable it seemed to be a form of affection in this time and choose to embrace it instead of resisting.
By the end of the song Sterling was laughing at the absurdity of the whole situation. Ray went to the cooler to grab two cold beers, handing one to Sterling. Sterling took the beer smirking in appreciation.
They sat down on the steps leading outside to the gardens. A large acre field surrounded by an assortment of trees, the moonlight and stars as the backdrop. Sterling brought the beer to his lips, happiness spilled out of him in a chuckle before he could take a sip.
Ray raised his eyebrow, "What's so funny?" Sterling shook his head looking up at the night sky instead of his friend when he answered.
"Nothing really. Just how human this all feels."
"I knew you would like it. I'm 3 for 4" Ray fist bumped the air
Sterling turned away and mumbled "4 for 4" Rays eyebrows perked up as he boomed.
"Who is she?, when did this happen?, details, I need all the dirty details"
Sterling rolled his eyes and muttered "Genevieve"
Ray sipped his beer and gestured with his hand "continue"
Sterling smiled longingly as he thought of her. "She's exquisite, she smelled like vanilla and grapefruit, alluring yet calming. And when I saw her running this morning…"
"She's a runner? Hot"
"I suppose her body temperature was above average" He shrugged
Ray shook his head and replied "Never mind that. Women today have changed so much since your time, what makes her special?"
Sterling replied taking a swig of his beer and looking off into the distance. "I honestly don't know. I found her erratic, outspoken and utterly naïve however there is something different about her. For starters she seems to be immune to my powers and yet I feel I am not immune to hers"
"Wait back up, what do you mean she's immune to your powers?"
"I mean my powers didn't work on her. I couldn't read her thoughts, I couldn't heal her pain, I was helpless, so human and it terrified me and yet I found it refreshing." Sterling shock his head and continued "I need to focus on the plan, the mission, I can't let myself get distracted"
Ray put down his finished beer on the step, leaning forward and lacing his fingers. "Hmm, maybe you should be distracted"
Sterling froze directing his stare at Ray with a stern voice "I have to get rid of the Fae. I refuse to live a life constantly looking over my shoulder."
"Yeah, sure. It just feels like a cop show. You know, where they solved the case because the bad guys overlooked the paper clip"
Sterling grimaced "I can't begin to fathom what you are going on about"
"All I'm saying is, don't you owe it to the mission to investigate her? Find out why she's immune to you? What if she's the key that unravels all your hard work?"
Sterling inhaled deeply "How can I possibly find that out without the use of reading minds?"
Ray stood up and faced Sterling "Well from the many years of cop shows I've watched the solution to your problem is an old fashion stake out."
Sterling rolled his eyes frustrated "I don't follow?"
"You need to find out if she's dangerous, so why not follow her and see if she is. You know a stake out"
Sterling stood up and nodding in understanding. "You're right."
"Yeah I am, I'm 4 for 4 remember"
Sterling rolled his eyes "For the sake of the mission I must find out where she stands."
"Yeah you do" Ray grabbed another beer from the cooler, raised it in the air and said "Good luck bro"
Sterling than went around to the front of the mansion before he took off to find Genevieve.