Windvane book1

Latoya had to skip-step to keep with the great stride of the Town Planning Steward... someone had ruffled his feathers already and upon seeing her appearance at his door he seemed about to boil over. Latoya was glad she'd had the sense to plaite her long pale brown hair... if she had left it out it would be whipped up mess by now. She was glad of the work pants as well, they fitted loosely compared to the leatherette she preferred. The orange hi-vis shirt was only barely still tucked in over her right hip ... but it pulled loose as she made another sharp change of trajectory. Then she stepped into her guide's shoulder face first. He had apparently found the door he was looking for. Llatoya studied what she could see of his face... he's been full of gusto a moment ago and but now... he was preparing himself for what came next. With a steady deep breath... he opened the door. "Sally!... Why is there an artist in my office with employment documents." Llatoya leaned aside to see past him... a tall, lean woman stood at the desk... short skirt, short hair... no sleeves... covered head to knee in shades of blue... odds were high that the shoes were also blue. "Why would I know, Jared? You're the planner... " She had the posture of a woman accustomed to putting out fires. her voice was almost bored... like a teacher facing down a question already answered by the day's lesson. "I suggested a mural ... and they sent me an artist.' Jarad was powering up again. 'Were you planning to paint the mural yourself?" Sally shot back at him. It seemed to take the wind right out of his sails. "Well, No ... but aren't these things supposed to be discussed? Approved? Budgeted?" "what exactly is the problem here?" Jared finally took a proper look at her... undersized for her age... but not scrawny or underweight like other girls..."What do I do with her? "She has employment documents... perhaps putting her to work is a good start." "but..." "I don't have time for that Jared" "But..." "I don't have time for that either... please leave my office" The walk back was less frantic. Llatoya had time to look out the windows and appreciate the view. It had been a lot of years since she was up this high. Great floating highways trellised across the sky between the buildings. Lit by neon in every colour to distinguish one from another. Company logos were plastered down their sides. One in particular seemed particularly prevalent... the Bishop chess piece logo. "Did you travel far to be here?" he asked as he opened his office door for her. Llatoya stepped through carefully. "Yes, Sir. I got on the train from City Beach yesterday." "Damn." "Sir?" "I can't just send you home, can I...." he read the sudden fear that flashed across the girl's face. Llatoya shook her head, 'I gave up my rooms' Jared put his hands in the high backed wooden chair that sat in front of his dees. Llatoya stepped over to sit in it but it wasn't an invitation, he was simply leaning upon it as he thought. His finger tapped as she waited. "alright then... step one... find you accommodation. Step two , figure out what you'll be doing... Step three...step three... is tomorrow's problem. Let's take things one step at a time. Eyes forward... no point looking back" Llatoya was quite sure it was a pep.talk purely for his own benefit, but she was glad for it none the less. Jarad locked the door behind him as they left the planning offices. he had put a blazer on with the city council logo on the left pocket ... a boring city grey over a boring cement coloured shirt. His white tie somehow made it all work though. and there was enough blue in the blazer to catch his eyes... Apparently today was a blue day, Llatoya thought to herself. "step one..." he repeated to himself, "Accommodation.... department of housing." His stride began to lengthen again and just as she was settling into his rhythm she walked into him again... this guy had a phenomenal on-off switch. He looked at her, "Coffee?" "Yeap." Sliding around on the ball of one foot, he changed direction. This time Llatoya didn't walk so close behind him. The department of housing was set up to the appearance of a happier place. Someone had smeared the wall with a box of skittles, someone who didn't even know the colour sequence of a rainbow... white floor speckled blue... definitely a blue day. "You okay?" Jarad asked, he'd noticed her distractedness. "Just wondering why they would choose a white floor... keeping it clean would be a challenge" "Fair enough. Wait here while I go fund you something." Llatoya looked at the kindergarten art and made a disgusted noise "No, thanks." Jarrad laughed at that. "I like you." The people around the service desk were watching him but he didn't care. "Alright, if you want to wait in the park across the street I will meet you by the fountain." "That sounds like a great idea.." Turns out it wasn't. Calling it a park was a bit excessive... Referring to the concrete circle as a fountain, suggested he had more imagination than she did. Llatoya walked around the shrubby gap between the buildings. A single streamer of golden light fell down from between the buildings overhead. She stepped into it, feeling into its warmth across her face... and had the immediate feeling of being watched. It didn't take long to find the young man, maybe 22 tops, in red and black leathers. two white bleached plaits framed his face falling from a charcoal grey collapsed mushroom hat. He was studying her and didn't seem to mind being seen doing so. Llatoya stepped forward to confront him for it, sucking in a breath to speak but he beat her to it, "Phoenix Group" he said quietly, still looking at her. Around him, five other guys stood from where they had been crouched. Llatoya kept her heading, "Stop staring at me." His head tilted, "aww." "Don't be a jerk, Hal." one of his friends said. "Yes," Llatoya repeated, "Don't be a jerk, Hal" He gave her an entertaining grin, turned and walked away. He whistled some kind of signal and spun his hand in the air. The scrub began to rattle as go-fast engines started up... their iconic three beat thrum had Llatoya trot herself closer to get a look. The red and black motorbikes were lined up, clean ... shining... identical... bar one. Off to one side a few metres away from the others was a BLUE motorbike. Kneeling beside it was a guy, a bit younger than the others, blond-cream locks falling into hazel eyes... lithe body accented by his ride-suit. He was returning tools to his bag. Llatoya paused in the bushes and the others mounted up. "Hurry up, Kurt. You're always last." one with a flash of yellow on his shoulder said. Kurt waved a ratchet spanner at him, "Service your own bike next time if you like." The Yellow shoulder looked at Llatoya," Now who's staring?" Kurt followed his gaze over to Llatoya. He smiled... "Thanks for calling Mathew a jerk... he needed to hear it from someone other than me." Kurt mounted up himself then paused, following her eyes to the bike. "Not seen one before have you..." "Nope." Llatoya answered directly. "I came from an undercroft city... no space for go-fast engines there." He laughed," There's always space for the go-fast... it's just an obstacle course rather than a sprint.... see yah." he snapped his helmet shut... and rode away. Only then did it occur to her to ask... was That guys name Hal... or was it Mathew?